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Science 24 April 2009:
Vol. 324. no. 5926, pp. 476 - 477
DOI: 10.1126/science.1173769
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Perspectives

Cell Signaling:

To Divide or Not to Divide

Jan M. Skotheim

The irreversible decision a cell makes when choosing its fate is based on diverse sources of information. How a cell integrates multiple signals into an all-or-none decision is the fascinating subject of a new study by Justman et al. (1) on the maturation of amphibian oocytes in response to the hormone progesterone. On page 509 of this issue, the authors show that interacting feedback loops within the network of cellular signaling pathways modulate sensitivity to progesterone in response to external cues. Depending on the generality of the solution, this work may have broad implications for cellular transitions contingent on multiple signals.

Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.

E-mail: skotheim{at}stanford.edu

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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)