Briefly discuss why the degradation of telomeres result in cellular aging. Conversely, propose why telomere lengthening could result in cells becoming cancerous.

Concepts to Consider: Telomeres, which are at the ends of chromosomes, degrade with every new cell division. As a result, with time, the chromosome itself may degrade, thus resulting in faulty gene expression or disruption of the cell cycle. Either of these events leads to unhealthy cells that may die or be targeted for destruction by the immune system. However, lengthening of telomeres may result in uncontrolled cell division and, therefore, cancer.