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The actions of the chalones

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Abstract

In all the ten tissues so far examined it has been found that mitotic activity is controlled by a negative feedback mechanism in which a chalone molecule acts as the messenger. A chalone is synthesised within the same tissue on which it specifically acts to inhibit mitosis, it is not species-specific, and it has a protein nature. The characteristics of a chalone mechanism and of its manner of action in a normal tissue are discussed. From studies of a wide range of tumours, both experimental and clinical, it now appears that their most important common characteristic is an abnormally low intracellular chalone concentration. When these tumours, which include human tumours, are treated with the chalones of their tissues of origin, their mitotic activity is inhibited. The three tumours which have been repeatedly treated with the appropriate chalone have been destroyed. Thus the chalones are now emerging as potential therapeutic agents for the treatment of cancer. They have the great advantage of strict tissue and tumour-specificity so that the other body tissues remain unaffected by the treatment. The most important problem now concerns their preparation in pure enough form and in adequate quantities.

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  1. Mitosis Research Laboratory, Birkbeck College, University of London, London, UK

    William S. Bullough

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  1. William S. Bullough
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Bullough, W.S. The actions of the chalones. Agents and Actions 2, 1–7 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01965372

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