Perspectives

Nature Reviews Cancer 9, 501-507 (July 2009) | doi:10.1038/nrc2663

TimelineApoptosis and cancer: the genesis of a research field

Thomas G. Cotter1  About the author

Top

In multicellular organisms, the total number of cells is a balance between the cell-generating effects of mitosis and cell death that is induced through apoptosis. A disruption of this delicate balance can lead to the development of cancer. This Timeline article focuses on how the field of apoptosis biology has developed in the context of its contribution to our understanding of cell death, or lack of it, in the development of malignant disease. It traces the course of research from key discoveries in fundamental biology to potential therapeutic applications.

Author affiliations

  1. Thomas G. Cotter is at the Tumour Biology Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.

Correspondence to: Thomas G. Cotter1 Email: t.cotter@ucc.ie

MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS

These links to content published by NPG are automatically generated.

Extra navigation

Subscribe

Subscribe to Nature Reviews Cancer

Search PubMed for

Advertisement