CAS Science Spotlight Most Cited Journal Articles 2002-Medical Sciences


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Most Cited Journal Articles 2002-Medical Sciences

Following is a CAS database record representing a highly cited journal article.

CAS indexed 1 chemical substance from this document.
CAS subject entries for this document include: Adipose tissue, neoplasm; Bladder; Brain, neoplasm; and 17 additional concepts.

TITLE:	Specific association of human telomerase activity with immortal cells and cancer
AUTHOR(S):	Kim, Nam W.; Piatyszek, Mieczyslaw A.; Prowse, Karen R.; Harley, Calvin B.; West, Michael D.; Ho, Peter L. C.; Coviello, Gina M.; Wright, Woodring E.; Weinrich, Scott L.; Shay, Jerry W.
CORPORATE SOURCE:	Geron Corp., Menlo Park, CA, 94025, USA
SOURCE:	Science (Washington, D. C.) (1994), 266(5193), 2011-15 CODEN: SCIEAS; ISSN: 0036-8075
PUBLISHER:	American Association for the Advancement of Science
LANGUAGE:	English

ABSTRACT:
Synthesis of DNA at chromosome ends by telomerase may be necessary for indefinite proliferation of human cells. A highly sensitive assay for measuring telomerase activity was developed. In cultured cells representing 18 different human tissues, 98 of 100 immortal and none of 22 mortal populations were pos. for telomerase. Similarly, 90 of 101 biopsies representing 12 human tumor types and none of 50 normal somatic tissues were pos. Normal ovaries and testes were pos., but benign tumors such as fibroids were neg. Thus, telomerase appears to be stringently repressed in normal human somatic tissues but reactivated in cancer, where immortal cells are likely required to maintain tumor growth.

Updated 4/26/2007 8:53:29 AM