THE RELATIONSHIP OF EMBRYOGENESIS AND CARCINOGENESIS

Abstract

There are many molecular links between the regulation of normal embryogenesis and the induction of cancer Embryogenesis includes coordinated cell division, cell differentiation, cell migration and genetically programmed cell death. Some of genes and/or factors and cell-cell interactions are critical for embryonic development and also play roles in -or altered in- tumor development. Some of the genes that function during apoptosis process in the embryo also protect the organism from developing tumors. Genes identified as important in the development of human cancers are also active during embryonic development. The hypothesis assuming a single stem cell as the source of cancer can only be confirmed by better understanding the embryogenesis mechanisms. Stem cells are the ones having maximum capacity to differentiate into many hinds of cell types, they are also thought to be the cause for development of various hinds of tumors. We have to understand the normal behaviours of cells first to solve the problems of abnormal ones. Since we can understand the behaviours of embryonic cells and their division, differentiation and migration mechanisms, it will be more possible to control the 'uncontrollable' cancer cells. There are lots of questions to be answered: How an embryo acquires the correct shape as its cells divide? What are the factors that guides the cells to get the correct form in the correct place? Are there fixed body plans and organ forms in cell? And most important question for cancer development is how cells forget their organization plans cold create tumors?