Double-edged Slug

Millions of new cells are born in your body every single day, replacing the millions that have become worn out or damaged. Stem cells are essential for this process of self-renewal, replicating on cue to keep our tissues healthy and working properly as we go through life. But this ability to multiply comes with a hidden risk. These breast stem cells should normally only replicate when needed, but if they become damaged or faulty then they can multiply out of control, leading to breast cancer. Researchers studying a gene called Slug have discovered that it's active in breast stem cells, helping them to repair damage and carry on replicating, keeping tissue young and healthy. But Slug is also overactive in certain types of breast cancer, enabling tumour cells to patch themselves up and keep on multiplying. Understanding Slug’s double life could shed new light on both ageing and cancer.

Written by Kat Arney

Kat Arney

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Dr Kat Arney is an award-winning science writer, broadcaster and public speaker, and is the founder and Creative Director of First Create The Media.

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• Image from the Kuperwasser Lab, Tufts University School of Medicine (courtesy of Cell Reports)
• Department of Developmental, Molecular, & Chemical Biology, Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA
• Image copyright held by the original authors
• Research published in Cell Reports, July 2019