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Review
. 2011 Jun;12(6):385-92.
doi: 10.1038/nrm3115. Epub 2011 Apr 29.

Mitotic catastrophe: a mechanism for avoiding genomic instability

Ilio Vitale  1 , Lorenzo Galluzzi, Maria Castedo, Guido Kroemer
Affiliations
Review

Mitotic catastrophe: a mechanism for avoiding genomic instability

Ilio Vitale et al. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol. 2011 Jun.

Abstract

The improper distribution of chromosomes during mitosis compromises cellular functions and can reduce cellular fitness or contribute to malignant transformation. As a countermeasure, higher eukaryotes have developed strategies for eliminating mitosis-incompetent cells, one of which is mitotic catastrophe. Mitotic catastrophe is driven by a complex and poorly understood signalling cascade but, from a functional perspective, it can be defined as an oncosuppressive mechanism that precedes (and is distinct from) apoptosis, necrosis or senescence. Accordingly, the disruption of mitotic catastrophe precipitates tumorigenesis and cancer progression, and its induction constitutes a therapeutic endpoint.

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Comment in

  • A four-lane highway to cancer.
    Galluzzi L, Kroemer G. Galluzzi L, et al. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol. 2016 Jul;17(7):398. doi: 10.1038/nrm.2016.73. Epub 2016 May 25. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol. 2016. PMID: 27220642 No abstract available.

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