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Self-Renewal and Cancer of the Gut: Two Sides of a Coin
Freddy Radtke1 and
Hans Clevers2*
The intestinal epithelium follows the paradigms of stem cellbiology established for other self-renewing tissues. With aunique topology, it constitutes a two-dimensional structurefolded into valleys and hills: the proliferative crypts andthe differentiated villi. Its unprecedented self-renewal rateappears reflected in a high susceptibility to malignant transformation.The molecular mechanisms that control homeostatic self-renewaland those that underlie colorectal cancer are remarkably symmetrical.Here, we discuss the biology of the intestinal epithelium, emphasizingthe roles played by Wnt, bone morphogenic protein, and Notchsignaling cascades in epithelial self-renewal and cancer.
1 Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Lausanne Branch, University of Lausanne, Chemin de Boveresses 155, CH-1066 Epalinges, Switzerland. 2 Hubrecht Institute, Netherlands Institute for Developmental Biology, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584CT Utrecht, Netherlands.
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: clevers{at}niob.knaw.nl
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