Normal cells (unlike cancer cells), move through the cell cycle in a regulated way in order to make sure that cells don't divide under conditions that are unfavorable for them. Information about their own internal state (nutrients, signal molecules, DNA integrity) is signal to go or not to go through the cell division. Because of that there are few checkpoints in the cell cycle at which the cell examines the signals and makes a “decision”. The major checkpoints are:
• The G1- the first point at which it must choose, once it passes the G1 checkpoint the cell enters S phase
• The G2-the cell checks DNA integrity and checks if replication is done well.
• The spindle checkpoint-at the transition from metaphase to anaphase.
