In vitro transformation models: modeling human cancer.
The development of cancer in humans involves a complex accumulation of genetic and epigenetic events mainly in proto-oncogenes and tumor-suppressor genes. Different combinations of these alterations have been observed in a given human cancer and an ever-increasing number of these genes seem to be involved in the distinct steps of neoplastic transformation. Nevertheless, recent successes in experimental models of immortalization and malignant transformation of human cells indicate that the disruption of a limited number of cellular pathways is sufficient to induce a cancerous phenotype in a wide variety of normal cells. This review summarizes in vitro transformation models recapitulating human carcinogenesis, which suggest that a series of genetic and cellular principles may govern the formation of most, if not all, types of human cancer.
Department of Medicine and Institute for Molecular Medicine and Cell Research, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Steffen
S
Heeg
Michaela
M
Doebele
Alexander
A
von Werder
Oliver G
OG
Opitz
D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics*; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D011519:Proto-Oncogenes / Q000235:genetics*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics