Tumor Suppressor Gene

Definition

Tumor suppressor genes are protective genes that regulate cell growth. When these genes mutate, they may fail to control cell growth effectively, leading to cancerous tumors.

Related terms

Oncogene: A gene that has the potential to cause cancer. In tumor cells, these genes are often mutated or expressed at high levels.

Apoptosis:

The process of programmed cell death that occurs in multicellular organisms.

DNA Repair Genes: These genes code for proteins whose normal function is to correct errors that arise when cells duplicate their DNA molecules prior to cell division.