端粒与端粒酶研究进展

细胞分裂中染色体因其末端（端粒）的DNA不能完全复制而短缩，使细胞逐渐失去增殖能力而衰老．端粒酶可延长染色体末端DNA，端粒酶的活化使细胞无限增殖．85％左右的恶性肿瘤端粒酶表达阳性，生殖细胞和无限繁殖的细胞系中端粒酶表达也呈阳性．文章综述了端粒的构成和功能、端粒酶在端粒合成中的作用，介绍了端粒酶活性的测定方法、细胞恶变与端粒酶激活的关系，并论及通过抑制端粒酶活性来治疗癌症的可能性．

Progress on Telomeres and Telomerase

Shortening of the chromosome caused by DNA incompleted replication of chromosome end (telomeres) at each cell division leads the cells to lose proliferative capacity and senescence.Telomerase elongates telomeric DNA.And the unlimted cell proliferation needs telomerase activation. About 85% of malignacy express positive for telomerase.The formations and functions of telomeres and the effects of telomerase on the telomere synthessis are reviewed.The measuring of telomerase and the relationship between cancer cell and activation of telomerase are also introduced. The possibility of the cancer treatment by the telomerase inhibition is discussed.