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. 2004 Jun;45(1-2):47–59. doi: 10.1007/s10616-004-5125-1

Immortalized cells as experimental models to study cancer

Jesse S Boehm 1, William C Hahn 1,✉
PMCID: PMC3449965  PMID: 19003243

Abstract

The development of cancer is a multi-step process in which normal cells sustain a series of genetic alterations that together program the malignant phenotype. Much of our knowledge of cancer biology results from the detailed study of specimens and cell lines derived from patient tumors. While these approaches continue to yield critical information regarding the identity, number, and types of alterations found in human tumors, further progress in understanding the molecular basis of malignant transformation depends upon the generation and use of increasingly sophisticated experimental models of cancer. Over the past several years, the recognition that telomeres and telomerase play essential roles in regulating cell lifespan now permits the development of new models of human cancer. Here we review recent progress in the use of immortalized human cells as a foundation for understanding the molecular basis of cancer.

Keywords: Cancer, hTERT, Immortalization, Model systems, Oncogenes, Telomerase, Telomeres, Transformation, Tumor suppressor genes

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Glossary

ALT

alternative lengthening of telomeres

HEK

human embryonic kidney

HMEC

human mammary epithelial cell

HPV

human papillomavirus

hTERT

human telomerase reverse transcriptase

LT

SV40 Large T antigen

PD

population doubling

PP2A

protein phosphatase 2A

RalGEF

Ral guanine nucleotide exchange factor

RAS

activated H-Ras allele

shRNA

short hairpin RNA

ST

SV40 small t antigen

TRF

telomere restriction fragment

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