title: [Growth factors and oncogenes in development and carcinogenesis. Role of the epidermal growth factor system].
abstract: The processes of cellular proliferation and progressive acquisition of a specialized phenotype show a remarkable degree of coordination that involves both intracellular programming and intercellular communication. One of the major incentives for studying factors that regulate the processes of cellular proliferation and differentiation is the recognition of their potential contribution to tumorigenesis. In normal cells, stimulatory and inhibitory events are believed to be under the control of growth factors and growth inhibitory factors, which are known to be protooncogene products. Growth regulatory mechanisms usually involve the binding of a growth factor to a specific receptor on the cell surface, which then through an intracellular biochemical cascade leads to cell division. The cell regulation pathways initiated by growth factors may be subverted at several distinct levels in cancer cells. Studies of oncogenes have shown that they may function as abnormal growth factors or abnormal receptors, induce expression of potential signal regulators or encode proteins which modulate gene transcription. The purpose of the present paper is to examine the role of growth factors, growth factor receptors and intracellular proteins involved in signal transduction (with particular regard to the epidermal growth factor receptor system) in the control of normal growth and differentiation, and their contribution to transformation and tumorigenesis. We also review the classical theories of neoplasia and various other models. Chemical carcinogenesis and Vogelstein-Lane model are presented.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Fisiologia Clinica, C.N.R., Pisa.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Paci
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ciarimboli
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ferdeghini
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000502:physiology; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000502:physiology; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor / Q000502:physiology; D006128:Growth / Q000502:physiology*; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D009857:Oncogenes / Q000502:physiology*; D010641:Phenotype; D017978:Receptors, Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D006133:Growth Substances; D017978:Receptors, Growth Factor; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D066246:ErbB Receptors
vernacular_title: Fattori di crescita ed oncogeni nello sviluppo e nella carcinogenesi. Ruolo del sistema legato al recettore per l'epidermal growth factor.