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Nature 437, 1103 (20 October 2005) | doi:10.1038/4371103a; Published online 19 October 2005

Open Innovation Challenges

Cell biology: A BID for the pathway

Michael B. Kastan1

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Cells have many ways of coping with damage to their DNA, but how are these all coordinated? It seems that BID — a regulator of programmed cell death — stands at the crossroads of several damage-response pathways.

Exposure to DNA-damaging agents can cause mutations, developmental abnormalities or cancer, and cells have developed numerous ways to minimize these effects. Such mechanisms include cell-cycle checkpoints to prohibit damaged cells from dividing while the cell deals with the damage; processes to repair the DNA; and programmed cell death (apoptosis).

  1. Michael B. Kastan is in the Department of Hematology–Oncology, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Room D-5048, 332 North Lauderdale Street, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, USA.
    Email: Michael.Kastan@stjude.org