Cancer Biology by Pearson

3

General Etiology and Pathogenesis

3.1 Genes Involved

3.1.1 Proto-oncogenes

Proto-oncogenes are primarily involved in encoding proteins that are vital for normal cellular processes as cell proliferation, differentiation and cell death. Upon mutations, these genes acquire the ability to be oncogenic in nature and thus enhance rapid cancerous conditions in such cells. Mutations in proto-oncogenes are usually dominant in nature which renders them to behave as oncogenes, i.e., the ability to induce carcinogenesis. Currently, more than 40 different types of proto-oncogenes have been discovered.

Most of the proto-oncogenes contribute to an important role during embryogenesis. This is because of their primary role involved in stimulation of cell growth ...