All living beings – plants as well as animals, are made up of a large number of basic units called cells. A cell is the structural and functional unit of living beings. The adults human body contains 100 trillion cells. All these cells can trace their origins to a single cell – the fertilized egg i.e. zygote. The zygote passes through a period of rapid cell division. This process of cell division is called mitosis. This results in the formation of millions of cells from a single zygote. After the period of initial rapid division some cells start undergoing changes in their size, shape and contents in preparation of the work they will undertake later. This is called differentiation. Differentiation specializes the cell and enables it to carry out specific functions. These specialized cells come together to form tissues which together form organs and these go on to form various systems in the body. Once the cells differentiate they usually stop dividing. WE STILL DO NOT KNOW HOW THESE CONTROL S WORK.

However, this tight control over cell division in some cells is lost and they start dividing indiscriminately to form a mass of cells which is called a tumour. They are of two types benign tumours and malignant tumours.

Now the question is what is this ‘control’? Is this control involuntary and independent of nervous system? Is this control stops after the cell division stops or continues till the death of an individual?

A recent study suggests that cells chat with one another, discussing what they will become – a neuron or a hair, bone or a muscle.

David Sprinzak, Tel Aviv University suggests cells know when to chat and when to shut up and let other cells carry on. Sprinzak working with California Institute of Technology researchers, has uncovered the mechanism that allows cells to switch from sender to receiver mode or vice versa, the Journal Public Library of Science Computational Biology reports.

This breakthrough opens the way to develop cancer drugs that target these transactions and halt production of cancer cells.

I have already stated that the ‘control referred to above is involuntary. Can this be maintained? How can we ensure that the tight control over cell division is not lost so that the chances of onset ’of cancer is eliminated ? Although not very much sure, the role of meditation should be viewed as a health promoter. There are three aspects of health – promotive , preventive and curative aspect of heath. Meditation promotes good health conditions. Meditation enables us to exercise voluntary control over involuntary functions of the body. THUS MEDITATION CAN HELP US COMBAT MALIGNANCY.

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