CELL-CYCLE MODELS FOR THE ABERRANT COUPLING OF GROWTH ARREST AND DIFFERENTIATION IN HYPERPLASIA, METAPLASIA, AND NEOPLASIA

  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 107  (3) , 342-348
Abstract
The control of cell proliferation can be regulated by the coupling of growth arrest and differentiation. Since this process has been demonstrated both in vivo and in vitro, it is thought to be of considerable physiological significance. The mechanisms that served to couple growth arrest and differentiation were poorly defined prior to recent studies. The coupling of growth arrest and differentiation of murine proadipocytes occur at a distinct stage in the G1 phase of the cell cycle, GD, and it consists of at least 5 phases. These include growth arrest at GD; nonterminal differentiation, terminal differentiation, loss of the differentiated phenotype and reinitiation of cell proliferation. On the basis of these observations a cell cycle model was developed to explain the biologic mechanisms of the coupling process. This model is now used to predit where defects in the coupling of growth arrest and differentiation may occur in hyperplastic, metaplastic and neoplastic cells.