Abstract

MYC in human epidermal stem cells can stimulate differentiation rather than uncontrolled proliferation. This discovery was, understandably, greeted with scepticism by researchers. However, subsequent studies have confirmed that MYC can stimulate epidermal stem cells to differentiate and have shed light on the underlying mechanisms. Two concepts that are relevant to cancer have emerged: first, MYC regulates similar genes in different cell types, but the biological consequences are context-dependent; and second, MYC activation is not a simple 'on/off' switch — the cellular response depends on the strength and duration of MYC activity, which in turn is affected by the many cofactors and regulatory pathways with which MYC interacts.

Author affiliations

1. Fiona Watt is at the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Research Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson Way, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK and the Wellcome Trust Centre for Stem Cell Research, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QR, UK.
2. Michaela Frye is at the Wellcome Trust Centre for Stem Cell Research.
3. Salvador Aznar Benitah is at the Department of Cell Differentiation and Cancer, Center for Genomic Research, Biomedical Research Park (CRG-PRBB), Barcelona, Spain.

Correspondence to: Fiona M. Watt¹ Email: fiona.watt@cancer.org.uk

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