Genetic basis of human testicular germ cell cancer: insights from the fruitfly and mouse.
The prevalence of tumours of the germ line is increasing in the male population. This complex disease has a complex aetiology. We examine the contribution of genetic mutations to the development of germ line tumours in this review. In particular, we concentrate on fly and mouse experimental systems in order to demonstrate that mutations in some conserved genes cause pathologies typical of certain human germ cell tumours, whereas other mutations elicit phenotypes that are unique to the experimental model. Despite these experimental systems being imperfect, we show that they are useful models of human testicular germ cell tumourigenesis.
Browne
Catherine M
CM
Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Queensland Bioscience Precinct, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia. c.browne@imb.uq.edu.au
Hime
Gary R
GR
Koopman
Peter
P
Loveland
Kate L
KL
D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004330:Drosophila; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009154:Mutation; D009373:Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / Q000235:genetics*; D010641:Phenotype; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*
D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit