Abstract

The capacity to induce neoplasia in human tissue in the laboratory has recently provided a new platform for cancer research. Malignant conversion can be achieved in vivo by expressing genes of interest in human tissue that has been regenerated on immune-deficient mice. Induction of cancer in regenerated human skin recapitulates the three-dimensional architecture, tissue polarity, basement membrane structure, extracellular matrix, oncogene signalling and therapeutic target proteins found in intact human skin in vivo. Human-tissue cancer models therefore provide an opportunity to elucidate fundamental cancer mechanisms, to assess the oncogenic potency of mutations associated with specific human cancers and to develop new cancer therapies.

Author affiliations

1. Veterans Affairs, Palo Alto Healthcare System, Palo Alto, California 94304, and the Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA.
   Email: khavari@CMGM.stanford.edu

Published online 16 March 2006

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