P53 and the CNS - Tumors and developmental abnormalities

This article reviews the recent molecular and clinical studies that charact erize the role of p53 in pathologies of the central nervous system, p53 has many important biological functions, notably, maintenance of DNA stability and regulation of apoptosis. These features are essential to avoid cellula r transformation and ensure normal brain development. Lack of p53 function in the brain results in tumor formation in the astrocytic and lymphoid line ages and in severe neurodevelopmental diseases, such as exencephaly.