What is the significance of checkpoints in cell cycle?

Checkpoints make sure each phase is happening accurately before going onto the next phase of the cell cycle. In the absence of checkpoints in the cell cycle, there would be significant consequences for cell cycle regulation. For example, there possibly would be uncontrollable cell proliferation. Without the checkpoints ability to stop the cell cycle, cells may continue to divide and accumulate DNA damage or replication errors, leading to malignancies. There may also be an increased mutation rate without checkpoints, as again the ability of cells to repair themselves would be impaired. Checkpoint failure may also disrupt the correct progression and coordination of the cell cycle resulting in cells entering mitosis with damaged DNA. This will lead to cell death or abnormal chromosome segregation.