Cell-cycle checkpoint

A regulatory control point that delays cell-cycle progression until specified conditions are met. Checkpoints coordinate cell division with DNA integrity, replication, and chromosome attachment.

Cyclin-dependent kinase: A protein kinase that binds a cyclin to regulate cell-cycle transitions and other cellular processes. Checkpoint pathways restrain these kinases to delay progression.
Cell cycle: The ordered series of growth, DNA replication, and division through which a cell reproduces. Checkpoints regulate transitions within this sequence.
Cancer: A group of diseases in which abnormal cells grow and divide uncontrollably, sometimes invading other tissues. Checkpoint defects can enable damaged cells to keep dividing.
G1 checkpoint: A cell-cycle control point that assesses growth conditions and DNA integrity before DNA replication begins. It prevents entry into S phase when conditions or DNA integrity are inadequate.
Cell-cycle arrest: A temporary or permanent halt in a cell's progression through the cell cycle. Arrest is a common outcome when checkpoint signals remain active.
DNA damage response: A network of cellular pathways that detects DNA lesions and coordinates repair, replication, and cell-cycle control. It signals DNA damage to checkpoint machinery.
Interphase: The part of the cell cycle comprising G1, S, and G2 phases, when cells grow and replicate DNA. Several checkpoints monitor readiness during these phases.
Genomic instability: An increased tendency for cells to acquire genetic alterations during division. Faulty checkpoint control allows chromosome and DNA errors to persist.
Intra-S-phase checkpoint: A control system that slows DNA synthesis and stabilizes replication forks during replication stress. It acts during DNA replication rather than only at a phase boundary.
Cellular senescence: A durable state in which a cell stops dividing while remaining metabolically active. Persistent checkpoint signaling can drive an irreversible proliferative arrest.

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