Which of the following is a characteristic of neoplastic cells?

Neoplastic cells are defined by their abnormal growth and division, often leading to cancerous formations. One of the most distinguishing features of neoplastic cells is their atypical morphology. This means that these cells often have irregular shapes, sizes, and structures compared to normal cells. Atypical cells may exhibit variations in nuclear size, irregularities in nuclear contours, and an altered nuclear-to-cytoplasmic ratio. These characteristics help pathologists identify cancerous cells during microscopic examination.

In contrast, normal cells typically exhibit uniformity in size and shape, regularly spaced nuclei, and minimal or controlled mitotic activity. Increases in mitotic activity, or unusual mitotic figures, also indicate neoplastic changes, but it is the abnormal morphology that is the most noticeable and definitive characteristic when diagnosing neoplasia.