IDENTIFICATION OF THE RECEPTOR FOR CONTACTINHIBIN

Abstract

The results in our research about contact-dependent regulation of growth of human cells let us come to the conclusion that a defined membrane glycoprotein we called Contactinhibin is of major importance for a density-dependent down regulation of proliferation in various cell cultures. Our investigations further postulate a specific cell membrane protein receptor for contactihibin which is defective or absent in transformed cells. We are now trying to approach to the molecular nature and biochemical parameters of this receptor in order to reveal its defects in transformed cells and to find further explanations in the phenomenon of uncontrolled tumor growth.