Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 5, 2026
13:21
In Vivo Biosensor Tracks Non-apoptotic Caspase Activity in Drosophila
Published on: November 27, 2016
8.6K
Connecting proliferation and apoptosis in development and disease
David R Hipfner1, Stephen M Cohen
1European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Meyerhofstrasse 1, 169117, Heidelberg, Germany. hipfner@embl.de
Nature Reviews. Molecular Cell Biology
|October 2, 2004
Summary
Cell growth and programmed cell death are tightly regulated during development. Mechanisms ensure a balance between cell addition and elimination, preventing uncontrolled proliferation.
Area of Science:
- Developmental biology
- Cell biology
- Physiology
Background:
- Rapid cell proliferation is essential for embryonic and postnatal development.
- Tissue growth results from a dynamic equilibrium between cell division and programmed cell death.
- Cellular competition for growth factors is a key regulatory mechanism.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the regulatory mechanisms governing cell addition and elimination during development.
- To understand how cellular competition influences tissue growth.
- To identify factors preventing uncontrolled cell proliferation.
Main Methods:
- Observational studies of cell dynamics during development.
- Analysis of growth factor signaling pathways.
- Investigation of programmed cell death pathways.
Main Results:
- Cellular competition for survival factors is critical for maintaining tissue homeostasis.
- Dysregulation of cell addition or elimination can lead to developmental abnormalities.
- Robust cellular mechanisms prevent evasion of growth constraints.
Conclusions:
- The balance between cell proliferation and programmed cell death is tightly controlled during development.
- Cellular competition is a fundamental process ensuring appropriate tissue growth.
- These regulatory mechanisms are vital for preventing uncontrolled cell proliferation and maintaining organismal integrity.
Related Concept Videos
02:23Abnormal Proliferation
4.0K
Under normal conditions, most adult cells remain in a non-proliferative state unless stimulated by internal or external factors to replace lost cells. Abnormal cell proliferation is a condition in which the cell's growth exceeds and is uncoordinated with normal cells. In such situations, cell division persists in the same excessive manner even after cessation of the stimuli, leading to persistent tumors. The tumor arises from the damaged cells that replicate to pass the damage to the...
4.0K
01:30Apoptosis
12.2K
Apoptosis is a combination of two Greek words, 'apo' and 'ptosis,' meaning separation and falling off, respectively. Hippocrates used this word to describe gangrene, which was caused due to bandaging of fractured bones. Apoptosis was distinguished from necrosis in 1970 when John Kerr reported observations of morphological changes occurring during apoptosis. During one experiment, he observed that the disruption of blood supply to the liver tissue resulted in a size...
12.2K
01:17The Extrinsic Apoptotic Pathway
6.2K
The extrinsic apoptotic pathway is initiated when extracellular death-inducing signals, such as specific cytokines, activate the death receptors expressed on the cell surface. The immune cells involved in this pathway are natural killer cells (NK cells) and cytotoxic T-lymphocytes. NK cells are critical in innate immune response, while cytotoxic T-lymphocytes are associated with adaptive immune response. These cells recognize specific receptors expressed on the altered cells and activate...
6.2K
01:31The Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathway
6.2K
Internal cellular stress, such as cellular injury or hypoxia, triggers intrinsic apoptosis. The B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) family of proteins are the primary regulators of the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. For example, during DNA damage, checkpoint proteins, such as Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM protein) and Checkpoints Factor-2 (Chk2) proteins, are activated. These proteins phosphorylate p53 which further activates pro-apoptotic proteins, such as Bax, Bak, PUMA, and Noxa, and inhibits...
6.2K
01:19Interactions Between Signaling Pathways
4.7K
Signaling cascades usually lack linearity. Multiple pathways interact and regulate one another, allowing cells to integrate and respond to diverse environmental stimuli.
Convergence and divergence, and cross-talk between signaling pathways
Two distinct signaling pathways can converge on a single functional unit, which may either be a single protein or a complex of proteins. The response is either functionally distinct or synergistic between the two pathways but different from the response...
Convergence and divergence, and cross-talk between signaling pathways
Two distinct signaling pathways can converge on a single functional unit, which may either be a single protein or a complex of proteins. The response is either functionally distinct or synergistic between the two pathways but different from the response...
4.7K
01:22Cellular Injury V: Apoptosis and Autophagy
121
Cells respond to damage and stress through highly coordinated processes that decide whether they survive or undergo controlled self-destruction. Two major pathways involved in this regulation are apoptosis, a type of programmed cell death, and autophagy, a survival mechanism that helps cells adapt to adverse conditions.ApoptosisApoptosis removes aged or injured cells to maintain tissue balance. During this process, the cell shrinks, chromatin condenses and fragments, and membrane-bound...
121