Genetic Aspects of Mouse Leukemia

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Abstract
In the study of malignancy, biologists and pathologists are being drawn closer and closer together. It is a commonplace that knowledge of normal processes is largely increased by comparison with abnormal processes. Whether greater contributions will eventually be made by pathologists to the problem of living matter, or by biologists to the cancer problem is an interesting question. In scientific analysis the establishment of units is an important step. Biologists recognize three units: the organism, the cell, and the gene. The organism is the major unit;, the cell is the architectural unit of the organism; the gene is a self-perpetuating unit of living matter. It is possible that the greatest contribution of biologists to the problem of malignancy will prove to be the concept of the gene, which at present is the only objectively defined unit of living matter. By the control of genes, experimental animals of virtually uniform constitution can be produced and the baffling variability of results greatly reduced. Further, differences in genes have such significant influence in various phases of the study of malignant growth that the possibility of their playing a leading rôle has not been eliminated.

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