Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 6, 2026

Cell Cycle-specific Measurement of γH2AX and Apoptosis After Genotoxic Stress by Flow Cytometry
08:21

Cell Cycle-specific Measurement of γH2AX and Apoptosis After Genotoxic Stress by Flow Cytometry

Published on: September 1, 2019

Review: gene amplification--a cellular response to genotoxic stress

C Lüke-Huhle1

  • 1Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe, Institut für Genetik und Toxikologie, Germany.

Molecular Toxicology
|October 1, 1989
PubMed

Insights

Gene amplification in mammalian cells is initiated by carcinogens and radiation. This process leads to genomic instability and cancer-prone genetic changes in surviving cells.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Genetics
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Cancer research highlights the critical role of regulatory genes in oncogenesis.
  • Carcinogenesis involves alterations in oncogenes and suppressor genes through mutations or gene amplification.
  • Gene amplification is a significant mechanism in cancer development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review studies on gene amplification in mammalian cells.
  • To emphasize the initiating events of gene amplification by carcinogens and radiation.
  • To explore the influence of genomic instability and cell characteristics on gene amplification.

Main Methods:

  • Molecular biologic and cytogenetic studies were employed.
  • Research focused on human and rodent cell models.
  • Analysis included the impact of carcinogenic chemicals and radiation.

Main Results:

  • Carcinogenic chemicals and radiation can initiate gene amplification in mammalian cells.
  • Genomic instability, cell dedifferentiation, and malignant potential influence gene amplification capacity.
  • Cells with amplified DNA exhibit increased chromosomal aberrations, sister chromatid exchanges, and rearrangements.

Conclusions:

  • Gene amplification is a key event in oncogenesis, triggered by environmental factors.
  • Cells undergoing gene amplification acquire genetic instability, increasing cancer risk.
  • These genetic alterations contribute to the malignant phenotype of cancer cells.

More Related Videos

Visualizing and Quantifying Endonuclease-Based Site-Specific DNA Damage10:59

Visualizing and Quantifying Endonuclease-Based Site-Specific DNA Damage

Published on: August 21, 2021

Proximity Ligand Assay to Localize Proteins in DNA Damage Sites09:39

Proximity Ligand Assay to Localize Proteins in DNA Damage Sites

Published on: August 2, 2024

Related Concept Videos

Nucleotide Excision Repair01:08

Nucleotide Excision Repair

Overview
Overview of DNA Repair02:25

Overview of DNA Repair

In order to be passed through generations, genomic DNA must be undamaged and error-free. However, every day, DNA in a cell undergoes several thousand to a million damaging events by natural causes and external factors. Ionizing radiation such as UV rays, free radicals produced during cellular respiration, and hydrolytic damage from metabolic reactions can alter the structure of DNA. Damages caused include single-base alteration, base dimerization, chain breaks, and cross-linkage.
Chemically...
DNA Damage can Stall the Cell Cycle02:36

DNA Damage can Stall the Cell Cycle

In response to DNA damage, cells can pause the cell cycle to assess and repair the breaks. However, the cell must check the DNA at certain critical stages during the cell cycle. If the cell cycle pauses before DNA replication, the cells will contain twice the amount of DNA. On the other hand, if cells arrest after DNA replication but before mitosis, they will contain four times the normal amount of DNA. With a host of specialized proteins at their disposal,cells must use the right protein at...
Cancer-Critical Genes I: Proto-oncogenes01:33

Cancer-Critical Genes I: Proto-oncogenes

Genes usually encode proteins necessary for the proper functioning of a healthy cell. Mutations can often cause changes to the gene expression pattern, thereby altering the phenotype.
When the function of certain critical genes, especially those involved in cell cycle regulation and cell growth signaling cascades, gets disrupted, it upsets the cell cycle progression. Such cells with unchecked cell cycles start proliferating uncontrollably and eventually develop into tumors.
Such genes that act...
Nucleotide Excision Repair01:38

Nucleotide Excision Repair

DNA Distortion and Damage
Cells are regularly exposed to mutagens—factors in the environment that can damage DNA and generate mutations. UV radiation is one of the most common mutagens and is estimated to introduce a significant number of changes in DNA. These include bends or kinks in the structure, which can block DNA replication or transcription. If these errors are not fixed, the damage can cause mutations, which in turn can result in cancer or disease depending on which sequences are...
DNA Damage Can Stall the Cell Cycle02:36

DNA Damage Can Stall the Cell Cycle

In response to DNA damage, cells can pause the cell cycle to assess and repair the breaks. However, the cell must check the DNA at certain critical stages during the cell cycle. If the cell cycle pauses before DNA replication, the cells will contain twice the amount of DNA. On the other hand, if cells arrest after DNA replication but before mitosis, they will contain four times the normal amount of DNA. With a host of specialized proteins at their disposal,cells must use the right protein at...