A Clue to Leukemia First, a little background. Scientists have known since the 1950s and 1960s that tumor cells have unusual chromosomes. That is why the research summarized in the following paragraphs is particularly important to leukemia patients. A research group at Duke University Medical Center led by Ann Marie Pendergast has discovered clues to how the Philadelphia chromosome causes leukemia. As a cell divides, genetic mixing and matching occurs.
Accidents can happen.
And, even worse, the ABL segment permanently activates the BCR portion. The researchers are studying exactly how the BCR portion takes over the controls of a leukemia cell. This protein then switches on other enzymes that cause the cell to divide out of control. But they suspected that the BCR affected other pathways as well. Cells employ multiple pathways to control cell growth, otherwise if something goes wrong, the cell would die.