aneuploidAneuploidy, defined as an incorrect chromosome number, reduces the cell proliferationproliferation rate of primary mammalian cells. This was demonstrated by generating trisomic cell lines carrying an extra copy of one of four mouse chromosomes, where all four lines exhibited impaired proliferation compared to euploid controls. [@williams_aneuploidy_2008]
Definitions
- aneuploidaneuploidy
- chromosome number
- cell proliferationproliferation
- trisomic cells
- euploid cells
- trisomic cellstrisomic lines
Synthesis
Multiple trisomic cell lines consistently demonstrate impaired proliferation regardless of which specific chromosome is amplified, establishing that chromosomal imbalance imposes a fundamental fitness cost at the cellular level. This proliferation defect appears mechanistically linked to altered metabolic properties and reduced immortalization capacity, suggesting that the presence of even a single extra chromosome disrupts core cellular processes required for sustained growth and division. The shared phenotypic traits across different aneuploid lines—despite carrying distinct extra chromosomes—point to a general mechanism of chromosomal imbalance stress rather than chromosome-specific effects. While the consistent fitness reduction is well-established, the precise molecular mechanisms connecting chromosomal imbalance to metabolic disruption and proliferation defects remain incompletely resolved, and it is unclear whether additional phenotypic changes beyond the aneuploidy itself are required for aneuploid cells to achieve sustained propagation.
Related
- Aneuploidy alters cellular metabolic properties
- Different aneuploid cells share common fitness-related traits
- Aneuploidy decreases both organismal and cellular fitness
- Missegregation alone insufficient for aneuploid cell propagation
- Aneuploidy affects cellular immortalization capacity