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Article: Messenger RNA with FLASH.
- Article from:
- NewsRx Health & Science
- Article date:
- November 15, 2009
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A study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has identified a key player in a molecular process essential for DNA replication within cells.
The new findings highlight a protein called FLASH, already shown to play a role in initiating apoptosis, or programmed cell death. Apoptosis is a normal biochemical response that occurs when a cell is damaged beyond repair after viral infection or accumulation of mutations that could lead to uncontrolled cellular proliferation, or cancer. Apoptosis is also crucial to the developing embryo through selective cell death, which allows proper differentiation of physical structures, such as fingers and toes.