What Role Do Growth Factors Play in Uncontrolled Proliferation?
Growth factors are signaling molecules that regulate cell proliferation. In normal cells, growth factors bind to specific receptors on the cell surface, triggering a cascade of events that lead to cell division. In cancer cells, this signaling pathway is often dysregulated, either through overproduction of growth factors, overexpression of growth factor receptors, or mutations in downstream signaling components. This dysregulation results in continuous and unregulated cell division.
