title: Molecular biology primer for the pediatric pathologist.
abstract: Recent advances in the knowledge of molecular events of cell growth and differentiation have provided considerable gains to the understanding of neoplasia. Along with this understanding, molecular biology has yielded many new techniques of great potential for diagnostic use. This review illustrates, in general terms, current models of gene regulation, intracellular signal transduction, and the regulation of cell division that are relevant to pediatric pathologists. These concepts are used to examine the molecular pathology of three pediatric tumors: retinoblastoma, Wilms' tumor, and neuroblastoma. In addition, molecular biology techniques potentially useful to pediatric pathologists are discussed, with examples of some possible applications of these techniques. Hopefully, this review portrays the relevance of molecular biology to pediatric pathologists and serves as a useful guide to the interpretation of the molecular pathology literature.
authors.affiliation: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, New York 11724.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Demetrick
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000502:physiology; D004274:DNA, Recombinant; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor; D011905:Genes, ras; D006801:Humans; D008967:Molecular Biology / Q000379:methods*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics; D009857:Oncogenes; D010336:Pathology / Q000379:methods*; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000379:methods*; D011519:Proto-Oncogenes; D015290:Second Messenger Systems; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D004274:DNA, Recombinant