Understanding mechanisms of carcinogenesis using rat tracheal epithelial cells in vitro

摘要

In vitro transformation assays are used to increase understanding of mechanisms of carcinogenesis and to determine the transforming potency of individual agents. While these assays can provide information on the mechanism for specific steps in the carcinogenic process or can predict the carcinogenic potency of a given toxicant, the relevance of in vitro endpoints or response for carcinogenesis must be determined. This paper will focus on the utility of an in vitro system for understanding the mechanisms of multistage respiratory carcinogenesis and on considerations that are critical for its use and application.