Blog Post Image: Scientists Develop New Way to Study How Human Cells Become Immortal, a Crucial Precursor to Cancer

The left image shows the chromosomes of an immortal cell line derived by treatment with a chemical carcinogen. It has an aberrant number and arrangement of chromosomes. This line had to generate the errors that allowed immortalization. The right image shows the chromosomes of an immortal line derived using the new Berkeley Lab method. It has the normal number of 46 chromosomes arranged in 23 pairs. Because of their normal karyotype, these new immortal cell lines may help scientists better understand cell immortalization as it occurs in people. Image credit: Karen Swisshelm, left image; Arthur Brothman and Laura Fuch, right image (Click image to enlarge)

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