Scientists uncover role for cell scaffold in tumor formation
Monday, June 6, 2011 - 09:30
in Biology & Nature
A group of scientists at the Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciencia, in Portugal, have uncovered a surprising link between the cell's skeleton and organ size. The team, led by Florence Janody, show in the journal Development, that one of the proteins that regulates the skeleton of the cell also acts to blocks activation of genes that promote cell survival and proliferation. Their findings have implications for cancer research, as they add to the puzzle of understanding how proliferation genes are abnormally activated, often leading to tumours.