Cell competition in development, homeostasis and cancer

Sanne M. van Neerven, Louis Vermeulen

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articleAcademicpeer-review

35 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Organ development and homeostasis involve dynamic interactions between individual cells that collectively regulate tissue architecture and function. To ensure the highest tissue fidelity, equally fit cell populations are continuously renewed by stochastic replacement events, while cells perceived as less fit are actively removed by their fitter counterparts. This renewal is mediated by surveillance mechanisms that are collectively known as cell competition. Recent studies have revealed that cell competition has roles in most, if not all, developing and adult tissues. They have also established that cell competition functions both as a tumour-suppressive mechanism and as a tumour-promoting mechanism, thereby critically influencing cancer initiation and development. This Review discusses the latest insights into the mechanisms of cell competition and its different roles during embryonic development, homeostasis and cancer.
Original languageEnglish
JournalNature reviews. Molecular cell biology
Early online date2022
DOIs
Publication statusE-pub ahead of print - 2022

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