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Updated: Jun 17, 2026

Induction and Diagnosis of Tumors in Drosophila Imaginal Disc Epithelia
Published on: July 25, 2017
The main product of specialized tissues regulates cell life and may cause neoplastic transformation
Giorgio Morpurgo1, Bernard Fioretti, Luigi Catacuzzeno
1Dipartimento di Biologia Cellulare e Ambientale, Universita' di Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
Abstract:
Many tissues and cells in vertebrates are highly specialized and devoted to a single function through the action of a single molecule, that we call the "main product" (MP) of the cell. The hypothesis here proposed is that these MPs control all aspects of the cell life, namely activity, division, differentiation and apoptosis. Evidences supporting this hypothesis are reported for the immune system, pancreatic beta-cells, melanocytes, connective tissues, thyroid cells, skin and erythroid cells. In all cases cell division and differentiation is promoted by a normal activity of the MP, while hyperactivity leads to cell apoptosis. Evidences are also provided that alterations of the activity of the MP may elicit pathological disorders; in particular mutations altering the structure of the MP may elicit tumoural transformation.
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