Cancer, the scourge of the 20th century, is in its most basic form the uncontrolled proliferation of invasive cells as a consequence of perturbations in the genetic and biochemical processes of a normal cell cycle. Deciphering the molecular, genetic, biochemical, and physiological aspects of this process in normal and abnormal cells has received much impetus these past two decades, as researchers seek to understand the nature of cancer, apoptosis, cell differentiation, and tissue regeneration. All these processes are inherently associated with the cell cycle. In addition, explicitly defining the mechanisms of these diseases and physiological phenomena may provide novel avenues to develop pharmaceuticals and therapies to aid in the treatment of these and other medical maladies such as neurodegenerative and autoimmune diseases.
Thus, some of the most examined aspects of cells have been the events, molecules, and signals controlling the cell cycle. Conceptually, the regulators of this basic activity are ...
