Fig. 12.

Model linking mTOR dysregulation to acquired angiomyolipoma cellular phenotypes. This model illustrates how loss of mTOR regulation in the pericyte would produce the vascular, smooth muscle-like, and adipose-like cells found in angiomyolipomas and may also explain the melanocyte-like phenotypic changes as well as the epithelioid variant. Italics indicate findings supported by the published work. Nonitalicized points are directly supported by evidence from the present study. MITF, microphthalmia-associated transcription factor; HMB-45, human melanoma black-45; SREBP1c, sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c; ATII, ANG II type 2 receptor.