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PMID: 19337290 Published · ppublish English Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. Review

Non-genetic heterogeneity--a mutation-independent driving force for the somatic evolution of tumours.

Nature reviews. Genetics ·Vol. 10 ·No. 5 ·2009-00-00 ·Pages 336-42

Brock A, Chang H, Huang S

Abstract

Clonal populations of mammalian cells are inherently heterogeneous. They contain cells that display non-genetic variability resulting from gene expression noise and the fact that gene networks have multiple stable states. These stable, heritable variants within one cell type can exhibit different levels of responsiveness to environmental conditions. Hence, they could in principle serve as a temporary substrate for natural selection in the absence of mutations. We suggest that such ubiquitous but non-genetic variability can contribute to the somatic evolution of cancer cells, hence accelerating tumour progression independently of genetic mutations.

MeSH Terms
Animals Cell Transformation, Neoplastic/genetics Evolution, Molecular Genetic Heterogeneity Humans Models, Biological Mutation Neoplasms/genetics
Authors & Affiliations
3 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Brock Amy
Children's Hospital, Vascular Biology Program, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA.
Chang Hannah
Huang Sui
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Article Info
Journal
Nature reviews. Genetics
Abbr.
Nat Rev Genet
ISSN
1471-0064
DOI
10.1038/nrg2556
Published
2009-00-00
Pages
336-42
Language
English
Region
England
NLM ID
100962779
Subset
IM
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1038/nrg2556 View journal details
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