Final answer:
The APC protooncogene, when mutated, is associated with colorectal cancer. The mutation leads to conditions like familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) and increases the risk of uncontrolled cell growth. Proto-oncogenes become oncogenes after mutation, disrupting cell cycle regulation and causing cancer.
Step-by-step explanation:
The APC protooncogene is associated with a specific pathology known as colorectal cancer. When APC gene mutations occur, they can lead to the development of familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), a condition that causes numerous polyps in the colon and rectum and increases the risk of colorectal cancer.
The APC gene acts as a tumor suppressor gene, and its mutation can disturb the regulation of cell growth and division, leading to cancer.
Proto-oncogenes are precursors to oncogenes, and they normally promote cell growth and reproduction. However, when these proto-oncogenes are mutated, they can cause cancer by allowing for uncontrolled cell growth.
This is due to disruptions in the delicate homeostatic balance between proto-oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes that control the cell cycle.