Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 28, 2026

Through the Looking Glass: Time-lapse Microscopy and Longitudinal Tracking of Single Cells to Study Anti-cancer Therapeutics
Published on: May 14, 2016
Molecular symmetry: a structural property frequently present in new cytotoxic and proapoptotic drugs
Carmen Sanmartín1, María Font, Juan Antonio Palop
1Department of Organic and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Navarra, Irunlarrea 1, E-31008 Pamplona, Spain. sanmartin@unav.es
Abstract:
In recent years, a large number of new potent symmetrical cytotoxic agents that act through different mechanisms have been described. Apoptosis induction is one of the most representative of these mechanisms. Recent articles have revealed that the activation of apoptosis pathways is the key mechanism by which cytotoxic tumor cells are killed. The present review highlights the importance of the molecular symmetry of several chemical structures and their relation with cytotoxic and apoptotic activity.
Related Concept Videos
Molecular Shapes
Drugs that Stabilize Microtubules
Targeted Cancer Therapies
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...
Drugs that Destabilize Microtubules
Drug-Receptor Bonds
In...
Targets for Drug Action: Overview
Receptors are either membrane-spanning or intracellular proteins, which upon binding a ligand, get activated and transmit the signal downstream to elicit a response. Drugs bind receptors, either mimicking the action of endogenous ligands or blocking the receptor activity to bring about a modified response. Nearly 35% of approved drugs target the G...

