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PMID: 21414483 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. Review

Cellular decision making and biological noise: from microbes to mammals.

Cell ·Vol. 144 ·No. 6 ·2011-03-18 ·Pages 910-25

Balázsi G, van Oudenaarden A, Collins JJ

Abstract

Cellular decision making is the process whereby cells assume different, functionally important and heritable fates without an associated genetic or environmental difference. Such stochastic cell fate decisions generate nongenetic cellular diversity, which may be critical for metazoan development as well as optimized microbial resource utilization and survival in a fluctuating, frequently stressful environment. Here, we review several examples of cellular decision making from viruses, bacteria, yeast, lower metazoans, and mammals, highlighting the role of regulatory network structure and molecular noise. We propose that cellular decision making is one of at least three key processes underlying development at various scales of biological organization.

MeSH Terms
Animals Cell Differentiation Humans Models, Biological
Authors & Affiliations
3 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Balázsi Gábor
Department of Systems Biology-Unit 950, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 7435 Fannin Street, Houston, TX 77054, USA.
van Oudenaarden Alexander
Collins James J
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Article Info
Journal
Cell
Abbr.
Cell
ISSN
1097-4172
DOI
10.1016/j.cell.2011.01.030
Published
2011-03-18
Pages
910-25
Language
English
Region
United States
NLM ID
0413066
PMCID
PMC3068611
Subset
IM
Grants
NIDCR NIH HHS · RL1 DE019021-04 · United States
NHLBI NIH HHS · RC2 HL102815-02 · United States
NIDCR NIH HHS · RL1 DE019021 · United States
Howard Hughes Medical Institute · United States
NIDCR NIH HHS · RL1 DE019021-05 · United States
NIH HHS · DP1 OD00344 · United States
NCI NIH HHS · U54 CA143874 · United States
NCI NIH HHS · U54CA143874 · United States
NIH HHS · DP1 OD003936 · United States
NIH HHS · DP1 OD003644-05 · United States
NIH HHS · DP1 OD003644-04 · United States
NIH HHS · DP1 OD003644 · United States
NIH HHS · 1DP1OD003936 · United States
NIH HHS · 1DP2 OD006481-01 · United States
NHLBI NIH HHS · RC2 HL102815 · United States
NIH HHS · DP2 OD006481 · United States
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2011.01.030 PMC Full Text View journal details
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