Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Science 14 June 1996:
Vol. 272. no. 5268, pp. 1583 - 1584
DOI: 10.1126/science.272.5268.1583
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Research News

Elizabeth Pennisi

Although most skin cancers are triggered by exposure to the sun, some people are genetically predisposed to develop them. People with the rare hereditary condition known as Gorlin's or basal cell nevus syndrome, for example, develop basal cell carcinoma as well as certain developmental abnormalities. Now, two teams of researchers, one of which reports its results on page 1668, have identified the gene at fault, and it turns out to be the human version of patched, a gene first identified as a component of a key developmental pathway in the fruit fly. Researchers hope that what is already known about patched will give them a clearer picture of how the basal cell carcinoma develops, and possibly lead to new, nonsurgical treatments for the skin cancer. In addition, a second paper (p. 1621) further clarifies the operation of the pathway to which patched belongs.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Energetics and Topology of CzcA, a Cation/Proton Antiporter of the Resistance-Nodulation-Cell Division Protein Family.
M. Goldberg, T. Pribyl, S. Juhnke, and D. H. Nies (1999)
J. Biol. Chem. 274, 26065-26070
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »


To Advertise     Find Products

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