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Notch controls proliferation and differentiation of stem cells in a dose‐dependent manner
Author(s) -
Guentchev Marin,
McKay Ronald D. G.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
european journal of neuroscience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.346
H-Index - 206
eISSN - 1460-9568
pISSN - 0953-816X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2006.04766.x
Subject(s) - stem cell , notch signaling pathway , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , neuroscience , signal transduction
Self‐renewal and differentiation of CNS stem cells are regulated by still poorly understood cell–cell interactions. Notch is a well‐known cell surface protein that can promote both cell cycle progression and mitotic arrest but the molecular mechanism controlling these opposite effects is unknown. Here we demonstrate that, in CNS stem cells, the level of active Notch1 determines the cellular response. Specifically, low levels of the active form of Notch1 promote proliferation whereas high levels lead to growth arrest. Here we provide the first evidence that Notch effects on proliferation and differentiation are a function of dose, and propose a hypothesis on how oncogenes may also act as tumor suppressors.