Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 9, 2026

Studying Proteolysis of Cyclin B at the Single Cell Level in Whole Cell Populations
10:54

Studying Proteolysis of Cyclin B at the Single Cell Level in Whole Cell Populations

Published on: September 17, 2012

Happenstance, circumstance or enemy action: cyclin D1 in breast, eye and brain

E V Schmidt1

  • 1MGH Cancer Center, Charlestown 02129, USA.

Bioessays : News and Reviews in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology
|January 1, 1996
PubMed

Insights

Cyclin D1 is essential for mammalian tissue growth, as demonstrated by knockout mice exhibiting developmental issues. This highlights cyclin D1

Area of Science:

  • Cell biology
  • Molecular biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Cyclin D1 is a critical G1 cyclin involved in cell cycle regulation.
  • Previous studies suggested a role for cyclin D1 in cell proliferation.
  • The precise in vivo function and necessity of cyclin D1 remained incompletely understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the essential role of cyclin D1 in mammalian tissue growth.
  • To determine if cyclin D1 is rate-limiting for growth in specific tissues.
  • To explore potential links between cyclin D1, retinoblastoma protein, and cancer.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of mice with homozygous deletion of the cyclin D1 gene (cyclin D1 knockout mice).
  • Phenotypic characterization of cyclin D1 knockout mice, including growth and behavior.
  • Histological examination of specific tissues, focusing on retinal and mammary glands.

Main Results:

  • Cyclin D1 knockout mice displayed significantly reduced body size and behavioral abnormalities.
  • Hypoplasia of retinal and mammary tissues was observed, indicating tissue-specific dependence on cyclin D1.
  • Cyclin D1's role as a retinoblastoma gene kinase and its association with breast cancer were noted.

Conclusions:

  • Cyclin D1 is unequivocally essential and rate-limiting for the growth of certain mammalian tissues.
  • Specific tissues like the retina and mammary gland show a pronounced dependence on cyclin D1.
  • Further investigation is warranted regarding cyclin D1's specialized functions in these tissues and its cancer associations.

More Related Videos

Live-imaging of the Drosophila Pupal Eye09:54

Live-imaging of the Drosophila Pupal Eye

Published on: January 12, 2015

Identification of Cyclin-dependent Kinase 1 Specific Phosphorylation Sites by an In Vitro Kinase Assay12:26

Identification of Cyclin-dependent Kinase 1 Specific Phosphorylation Sites by an In Vitro Kinase Assay

Published on: May 3, 2018

Related Concept Videos

Positive Regulator Molecules01:45

Positive Regulator Molecules

To consistently produce healthy cells, the cell cycle—the process that generates daughter cells—must be precisely regulated.
Positive Regulator Molecules02:39

Positive Regulator Molecules

Mitotic cell division results in daughter cells that exactly resemble the parent cell. However, errors in the DNA replication or distribution of genetic material may lead to genetic mutations that may be passed down to every new cell formed from the resulting abnormal cell. Propagation of such mutant cells is restricted through checkpoint mechanisms present at different stages of the cell cycle. These checkpoints involve regulator molecules that either promote or demote cell cycle events.
Inhibition of Cdk Activity02:34

Inhibition of Cdk Activity

The orderly progression of the cell cycle depends on the activation of Cdk protein by binding to its cyclin partner. However, the cell cycle must be restricted when undergoing abnormal changes. Most cancers correlate to the deregulated cell cycle, and since Cdks are a central component of the cell cycle, Cdk inhibitors are extensively studied to develop anticancer agents. For instance, cyclin D associates with several Cdks, such as Cdk 4/6, to form an active complex. The cyclin D-Cdk4/6 complex...
M-Cdk Drives Transition Into Mitosis02:15

M-Cdk Drives Transition Into Mitosis

Checkpoints throughout the cell cycle serve as safeguards and gatekeepers, allowing the cell cycle to progress in favorable conditions and slow or halt it in problematic ones. This regulation is known as the cell cycle control system.
Cyclin-dependent kinases, or Cdks, work in concert with cyclins to control cell cycle transitions. M-Cdk, a complex of Cdk1 bound to M cyclin, is a well-known example of this coordinated control that drives the transition from the G2 to the M phase.
M cyclin...
Inhibition of CDK Activity02:34

Inhibition of CDK Activity

The orderly progression of the cell cycle depends on the activation of Cdk protein by binding to its cyclin partner. However, the cell cycle must be restricted when undergoing abnormal changes. Most cancers correlate to the deregulated cell cycle, and since Cdks are a central component of the cell cycle, Cdk inhibitors are extensively studied to develop anticancer agents. For instance, cyclin D associates with several Cdks, such as Cdk 4/6, to form an active complex. The cyclin D-Cdk4/6 complex...
M-Cdk Drives Transition Into Mitosis02:15

M-Cdk Drives Transition Into Mitosis

Checkpoints throughout the cell cycle serve as safeguards and gatekeepers, allowing the cell cycle to progress in favorable conditions and slow or halt it in problematic ones. This regulation is known as the cell cycle control system.
Cyclin-dependent kinases, or Cdks, work in concert with cyclins to control cell cycle transitions. M-Cdk, a complex of Cdk1 bound to M cyclin, is a well-known example of this coordinated control that drives the transition from the G2 to the M phase.
M cyclin...