Cell growth

About: Cell growth is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 104237 publications have been published within this topic receiving 3751303 citations. The topic is also known as: GO:0016049 & cellular growth.

Integrating the MAP kinase signal into the G1 phase cell cycle machinery.

Abstract: Growth factors and the extracellular matrix provide the environmental cues that control the proliferation of most cell types The binding of growth factors and matrix proteins to receptor tyrosine kinases and integrins, respectively, regulates several cytoplasmic signal transduction cascades, among which activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade, ras --> Raf --> MEK --> ERK, is perhaps the best characterized Curiously, ERK activation has been associated with both stimulation and inhibition of cell proliferation In this review, we summarize recent studies that connect ERK signaling to G1 phase cell cycle control and suggest that the cellular response to an ERK signal depends on both ERK signal intensity and duration We also discuss studies showing that receptor tyrosine kinases and integrins differentially regulate the ERK signal in G1 phase

Programmed cell death during regression of PC-82 human prostate cancer following androgen ablation.

Abstract: To study the mechanism of regression of human prostatic cancer following androgen ablation, the androgen-responsive PC-82 human prostatic adenocarcinoma xenograft was used as a model system Castration of male nude mice bearing PC-82 xenografts results in a 50% tumor regression by 2 wk following androgen ablation This regression is due to a sequence of biochemical and morphological events that results in both the cessation of cell proliferation and activation of programmed death or apoptosis of the androgen-dependent prostatic cancer cells Associated with this response are an enhanced expression of the transforming growth factor beta 1 gene, a potent inhibitor of cell proliferation, and testosterone-repressed prostatic message 2 (designated TRPM-2), a programmed cell death-associated gene Fragmentation of tumor DNA into nucleosomal oligomers and histological appearance of apoptotic bodies are characteristic early events that preceded the dramatic reduction in tumor volume following androgen ablation These results suggest that androgen-dependent human prostatic cancer cells, like normal prostatic cells, retain the ability to inhibit proliferation and to activate programmed cell death in response to androgen ablation Clarification of the biochemical pathway involved in the activation of this programmed cell death should identify new targets of therapy for even androgen-independent human prostatic cancer

The NF2 tumor suppressor gene product, merlin, mediates contact inhibition of growth through interactions with CD44

Abstract: The neurofibromatosis-2 (NF2) gene encodes merlin, an ezrin-radixin-moesin-(ERM)-related protein that functions as a tumor suppressor. We found that merlin mediates contact inhibition of growth through signals from the extracellular matrix. At high cell density, merlin becomes hypo-phosphorylated and inhibits cell growth in response to hyaluronate (HA), a mucopolysaccharide that surrounds cells. Merlin’s growth-inhibitoryactivitydepends on specific interaction with the cy toplasmic tail of CD44, a transmembrane HA receptor. At low cell density, merlin is phosphorylated, growth permissive, and exists in a complex with ezrin, moesin, and CD44. These data indicate that merlin and CD44 form a molecular switch that specifies cell growth arrest or proliferation.