Tumor suppressive pathways in the control of neurogenesis.
The generation of specialized neural cells in the developing and postnatal central nervous system is a highly regulated process, whereby neural stem cells divide to generate committed neuronal progenitors, which then withdraw from the cell cycle and start to differentiate. Cell cycle checkpoints play a major role in regulating the balance between neural stem cell expansion and differentiation. Loss of tumor suppressors involved in checkpoint control can lead to dramatic alterations of neurogenesis, thus contributing to neoplastic transformation. Here we summarize and critically discuss the existing literature on the role of tumor suppressive pathways and their regulatory networks in the control of neurogenesis and transformation.
Samantha Dickson Brain Cancer Unit, UCL Cancer Institute, 72 Huntley Street, London, WC1E 6DD, UK.
Stefano
S
Bartesaghi
Paolo
P
Salomoni
D000818:Animals; D059447:Cell Cycle Checkpoints; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D058953:Neural Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D055495:Neurogenesis; D063146:Polycomb-Group Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016160:Retinoblastoma Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D063146:Polycomb-Group Proteins; D016160:Retinoblastoma Protein; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53