The Mammalian cell cycle and its aberrations in cancer cells.
In eukariotic cells each phase of the cell cycle is controlled by the sequential activation of various cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks). These kinases, which are dimers of a catalytic (cdc) and a regulatory (cyclin) subunit, are known to phosphorylate various substrates whose activity is crucial for cell cycle progression. As key regulators of the cell cycle cdks must be under control by both extracellular and intracellular signals. There are several distinct mechanisms for controlling the activity of the different cdks: regulated synthesis and destruction of the regulatory subunit (cyclin), regulated activation and destruction of inhibitory subunits (cki) and postranslational modifications of the catalytic subunit by specific kinases and phosphatases. In this review I will discuss the elements controlling the mammalian cell cycle and their relationship with the genesis of cancer.
Del Sal G
Laboratorio Nazionale C.I.B. AREA Science Park, Padriciano (TS), 34012, Italy. delsal@icgeb.trieste.it