Contact inhibition

Contact inhibition

Contact inhibition is the natural process of arresting cell growth when two or more cells come into contact with each other. Oncologists use this property to distinguish between normal and cancerous cells.

Cell lines used widely in animal cell culture laboratories are genetically modified to suppress apoptosis however maintain this phenomenon. Therefore, cells are cancerous however their proliferation could be controlled when present in low serum levels or when in contact with neighbouring cells (i.e. contact inhibition).

In tissue culture laboratories cells growing on T25 and T75 flasks need constant replacements to maintain their normal cell numbers otherwise cells would display contact inhibition and therefore, die as a result.

Cancerous cells typically lose this property and thus grow in an uncontrolled manner even when in contact with neighbouring cells. Cells of naked mole rats, a species in which cancer has never been observed, show hypersensitivity to contact inhibition.[1][2]

References

  1. ^ Seluanov A, Hine C, Azpurua J, Feigenson M, Bozzella M, Mao Z, Catania KC, Gorbunova V (2009). "Hypersensitivity to contact inhibition provides a clue to cancer resistance of naked mole-rat". Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 106 (46): 19352–7. doi:10.1073/pnas.0905252106. PMC 2780760. PMID 19858485. http://www.pnas.org/content/106/46/19352.long. 
  2. ^ Amato, Ivan (7 March 2011). "Researchers try to understand naked mole rats' resistance to cancer". The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/03/07/AR2011030703965.html. 



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Look at other dictionaries:

  • contact inhibition — n cessation of cellular undulating movements upon contact with other cells with accompanying cessation of cell growth and division * * * the inhibition of cell division and motility in normal cells when in close contact with each other, as in the …   Medical dictionary

  • contact inhibition — contact inhibition. См. контактное торможение. (Источник: «Англо русский толковый словарь генетических терминов». Арефьев В.А., Лисовенко Л.А., Москва: Изд во ВНИРО, 1995 г.) …   Молекулярная биология и генетика. Толковый словарь.

  • contact inhibition — noun : cessation of cellular undulating movements upon contact with other cells with accompanying cessation of cell growth and division * * * Biol. the cessation of movement, growth, and division in cells that touch each other. [1960 65] * * *… …   Useful english dictionary

  • contact inhibition of movement — Reaction in which the direction of motion of a cell is altered following collision with another cell. In heterologous contacts both cell may respond (mutual inhibition), or only one (non reciprocal). Type I contact inhibition involves paralysis… …   Dictionary of molecular biology

  • contact inhibition of growth — См. contact inhibition of division …   Dictionary of molecular biology

  • contact inhibition of locomotion — См. contact inhibition of movement …   Dictionary of molecular biology

  • contact inhibition — noun Inhibition of cell division in normal (noncancerous) cells when they contact a neighboring cell …   Wiktionary

  • contact inhibition — noun Date: 1965 cessation of cellular movement, growth, and division upon contact with other cells …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • contact inhibition of division — See density dependent inhibition …   Dictionary of molecular biology

  • contact inhibition — Biol. the cessation of movement, growth, and division in cells that touch each other. [1960 65] * * * …   Universalium

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