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Abnormal growth processes in plants and animals: a comparison
M H Bayer1, H E Kaiser, M S Micozzi
1Fox Chase Cancer Center, Institute for Cancer Research, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19111.
In Vivo (Athens, Greece)
|January 1, 1994
Summary
Tumorigenesis, or tumor formation, shares surprising similarities between plants and animals, despite distinct genetic mechanisms. This review explores these parallels and differences in cellular growth deregulation across kingdoms.
Area of Science:
- Comparative biology
- Cellular biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Tumorigenesis involves the deregulation of normal cell growth and development.
- Factors inducing tumor formation can be external or endogenous.
- Tumors are classified as benign or malignant based on inducing agents and organism genetics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review similarities and differences in neoplastic transformations between plants and animals.
- To explore inherent differences in growth parameters between plant and animal kingdoms.
- To revive the concept of correlation between tumorigenesis in animals and plants.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of neoplasmatic and neoplastic transformations.
- Review of existing literature on plant and animal tumorigenesis.
- Discussion of molecular and cell biology advances.
Main Results:
- Neoplastic transformation in plants can result from foreign nuclear material or chromosomal imbalance.
- Examples of plant neoplasias include crown gall disease and genetic tumors.
- Examples of animal neoplasias include carcinomas and leukemias.
- Similarities exist in neoplasmatic tissues like hyperplasias and insect galls (zoocecidia) in plants and hypoplasia, aplasia, and agenesis in animals.
Conclusions:
- Advances in molecular biology and genetics are reviving the correlation between animal and plant tumorigenesis.
- New biological reasoning is emerging from insights into cellular regulatory processes.
- Understanding these parallels can lead to novel insights into growth regulation.