Numbers of Mutations within Multicellular Bodies: Why It Matters
Multicellular organisms often start life as a single cell. Subsequent cell division builds the body. Each mutational event during those developmental cell divisions carries forward to all descendant cells. The overall number of mutant cells in the body follows the Luria–Delbrück process. This articl...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Axioms |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1680/12/1/12 |
| _version_ | 1797446243935322112 |
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| author | Steven A. Frank |
| author_facet | Steven A. Frank |
| author_sort | Steven A. Frank |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Multicellular organisms often start life as a single cell. Subsequent cell division builds the body. Each mutational event during those developmental cell divisions carries forward to all descendant cells. The overall number of mutant cells in the body follows the Luria–Delbrück process. This article first reviews the basic quantitative principles by which one can understand the likely number of mutant cells and the variation in mutational burden between individuals. A recent Fréchet distribution approximation simplifies calculation of likelihoods and intuitive understanding of process. The second part of the article highlights consequences of somatic mutational mosaicism for understanding diseases such as cancer, neurodegeneration, and atherosclerosis. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T13:37:32Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-df30a7c9428f4bb4a984d6b20a96a52a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-1680 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T13:37:32Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Axioms |
| spelling | doaj.art-df30a7c9428f4bb4a984d6b20a96a52a2023-11-30T21:11:04ZengMDPI AGAxioms2075-16802022-12-011211210.3390/axioms12010012Numbers of Mutations within Multicellular Bodies: Why It MattersSteven A. Frank0Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-2525, USAMulticellular organisms often start life as a single cell. Subsequent cell division builds the body. Each mutational event during those developmental cell divisions carries forward to all descendant cells. The overall number of mutant cells in the body follows the Luria–Delbrück process. This article first reviews the basic quantitative principles by which one can understand the likely number of mutant cells and the variation in mutational burden between individuals. A recent Fréchet distribution approximation simplifies calculation of likelihoods and intuitive understanding of process. The second part of the article highlights consequences of somatic mutational mosaicism for understanding diseases such as cancer, neurodegeneration, and atherosclerosis.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1680/12/1/12Luria–Delbrückpopulation geneticsgenetics of diseasesomatic mosaicismcancerneurodegeneration |
| spellingShingle | Steven A. Frank Numbers of Mutations within Multicellular Bodies: Why It Matters Axioms Luria–Delbrück population genetics genetics of disease somatic mosaicism cancer neurodegeneration |
| title | Numbers of Mutations within Multicellular Bodies: Why It Matters |
| title_full | Numbers of Mutations within Multicellular Bodies: Why It Matters |
| title_fullStr | Numbers of Mutations within Multicellular Bodies: Why It Matters |
| title_full_unstemmed | Numbers of Mutations within Multicellular Bodies: Why It Matters |
| title_short | Numbers of Mutations within Multicellular Bodies: Why It Matters |
| title_sort | numbers of mutations within multicellular bodies why it matters |
| topic | Luria–Delbrück population genetics genetics of disease somatic mosaicism cancer neurodegeneration |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1680/12/1/12 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT stevenafrank numbersofmutationswithinmulticellularbodieswhyitmatters |