title: Polycomb silencers control cell fate, development and cancer.
abstract: Polycomb group (PcG) proteins are epigenetic gene silencers that are implicated in neoplastic development. Their oncogenic function might be associated with their well-established role in the maintenance of embryonic and adult stem cells. In this review, we discuss new insights into the possible mechanisms by which PcGs regulate cellular identity, and speculate how these functions might be relevant during tumorigenesis.
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular Genetics and Centre for Biomedical Genetics, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066CX Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Anke
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sparmann
authors.forename: Maarten
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: van Lohuizen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D020868:Gene Silencing; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D063146:Polycomb-Group Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D063146:Polycomb-Group Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins