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Review
. 2011 Feb;3(2):94-101.
doi: 10.18632/aging.100281.

Cell cycle arrest is not senescence

Mikhail V Blagosklonny  1
Affiliations
Review

Cell cycle arrest is not senescence

Mikhail V Blagosklonny. Aging (Albany NY). 2011 Feb.

Abstract

DNA damaging agents and radiation, cytotoxins and anti-cancer drugs, telomere erosion and cytokines, culture shock and mitogenic stimuli, oncogenes and tumor suppressors can induce both cell cycle arrest and cellular senescence. Due to this semi-coincidence, senescence is confused with cell cycle arrest, or even more misleadingly, with growth inhibition. With such misconceptions, cellular senescence cannot be linked to organismal aging. Also, the relation between cancer and senescence is distorted. Here I discuss why the link between arrest and senescence is semi-coincidental and how senescence is related to aging and cancer.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.. Two types of cell cycle arrest.
(A) Proliferating cells. Growth stimulation leads to mass growth, which is balanced by cell division. (B) Quiescence. Withdrawal of growth factors deactivates both growth-promoting pathways and the cell cycle. (C) Senescence. The block of the cell cycle, in the face of growth-stimulation, causes condition known as cellular senescence.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.. Two types of quiescence.
(A) Simple quiescence. Cells are arrested due to lack of growth stimulation (left panel). Addition of growth factors causes proliferation (right panel). (B) Locked quiescence. Differentiated cells are put on the brakes, to avoid undesired proliferation. Mild stimulation of such cells causes functional responses. Excessive stimulation causes physiological senescence.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.. Gerosuppressants favor quiescence over senescence by inhibiting growth-promoting pathways.
(A) Senescent cell. (B) Gerossuppressants do not abrogate arrest but suppress the senescent phenotype converting senescence in locked quiescence.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.. The opposite roles of senescence and cell cycle arrest.
Cell cycle arrest is a barrier to cancer. In contrast, cellular senescence promotes cancer and age-related diseases.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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