How Taxol Targets Cancer Cells

[grewas8]

i was wondering how is taxol targeting specifically at cancerous cells? I mean to say how does it know that a cell is cancerous? Why doesn't it effect skin cells which also have rapid division and stabilizing microtubules in other cells than cancerous would be drastic, wouldn't the immune system pick up on this?

Thanks

 

[contrio]

short answer, cancer divides fastest, need more microtubule, break down, built up. taxol bind to them first. Long answer, I am sure it goes after everything else and screw up the body like any other chemo.

 

[ravenprp]

for your question. Taxol, also known as paclitaxel, is a chemotherapy drug commonly used to treat various types of cancer. It works by disrupting the growth and division of cancer cells, ultimately leading to their death. Taxol specifically targets cancer cells because it interferes with a process called mitosis, which is crucial for cancer cell growth and division.

One of the key differences between cancer cells and normal cells is their rate of division. Cancer cells divide at a much faster rate compared to normal cells, and this is due to their ability to produce their own growth signals and ignore the body's natural signals to stop dividing. Taxol takes advantage of this difference by targeting and inhibiting the structures involved in cell division, called microtubules.

Microtubules are essential for cell division, as they help to form the mitotic spindle that separates the chromosomes during cell division. Taxol binds to and stabilizes these microtubules, preventing them from breaking down and disrupting the cell division process. This ultimately leads to the death of cancer cells, as they are unable to grow and divide without functioning microtubules.

Skin cells, on the other hand, do not divide as rapidly as cancer cells and do not rely as heavily on microtubules for their growth and division. Therefore, Taxol has a much lower impact on these cells, making them less susceptible to its effects. Additionally, the immune system is constantly monitoring and eliminating abnormal cells, including cancer cells. While Taxol may cause some side effects in healthy cells, the immune system is able to recognize and remove any damaged or abnormal cells.

In summary, Taxol specifically targets cancer cells by disrupting their rapid growth and division processes. Its effects on normal cells are minimal, and the immune system is able to recognize and eliminate any damaged cells. I hope this helps to answer your question.