C. elegans vulval development as a model system to study the cancer biology of EGFR signaling.
Molecular genetic studies of C. elegans vulval development have helped to define an evolutionarily conserved signaling pathway from an EGF-like ligand through EGF-receptor, Ras and MAP kinase to the nucleus. Further studies have identified novel positive regulators such as KSR-1 and SUR-8/SOC-2 and negative regulators such as cbl/SLI-1. The many negative regulatory proteins might serve to prevent inappropriate signaling, and thus are analogous to tumor suppressor genes.
Chang
C
C
Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena 91125, USA.
Sternberg
P W
PW
D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D008954:Models, Biological; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D014844:Vulva / Q000196:embryology*
D066246:ErbB Receptors