Cell cycle and cancer: cycling out of contro

Abstract

Disruption in mechanisms controlling cell proliferation is a hallmark of cancer. In higher eukaryotes, cell cycle progression and cell division is driven by the sequential activation of a family of proteins called cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks). Mutations in Cdks or in their molecular modulators have been identified in the vast majority of human tumours. However, ablation of most of these proteins in mice produces only mild phenotypes, suggesting that other compensatory mechanisms exit. Thus unveiling the molecular mechanisms that control cell cycle is fundamental in understanding the molecular basis of cancer. In this review, we will discuss cell cycle and its regulators and their role,in cancer development based on recent findings obtained using genetically modified mice. This is a review article.