THE RETINOBLASTOMA PROTEIN PATHWAY IN CELL-CYCLE CONTROL AND CANCER

Recent discoveries in diverse fields of biomedical research have merge d to reveal the molecular basis of cell cycle control and a critical r ole of subverting this homeostatic mechanism in cancer development. At the heart of these processes lies a late G1 checkpoint governed by th e ''RB pathway'' whose molecular composition, functions, and cancer-as sociated defects are briefly evaluated in this review. This exciting n ew knowledge raises a plethora of conceptual issues in cell biology, w ith potential practical implications for biotechnology and medicine. ( C) 1997 Academic Press.