Mammalian cell size is controlled by mTOR and its downstream targets S6K1 and 4EBP1/eIF4E

Fingar DC, Salama S, Tsou C, Harlow E, Blenis J · 2002 · Genes & development · Atlas ID FIN2002

What this study shows

mTOR controls mammalian cell size through its downstream translational targets S6K1 and 4E-BP1/eIF4E.

Abstract

ShowHide

The coordinated action of cell cycle progression and cell growth (an increase in cell size and cell mass) is critical for sustained cellular proliferation, yet the biochemical signals that control cell growth are poorly defined, particularly in mammalian systems. We find that cell growth and cell cycle progression are separable processes in mammalian cells and that growth to appropriate cell size requires mTOR- and PI3K-dependent signals.

Read the full abstract on PubMed →

At a glance

Evidence type	M Molecular — cells, biochemistry, structure Marked M because it is molecular or in-vitro work (model: Mammalian cells) rather than a whole-organism health-outcome study. That is often exactly where causal biology gets established -- the code says which system the finding was shown in, and nothing about how good the work is.
Study type	5 - Mechanistic / In Vitro
Model system	Mammalian cells
Journal	Genes & development
Year	2002
Peer reviewed	Yes
Record last updated	2026-10-01
Source	DOI 10.1101/gad.995802 · PMID 12080086 · Free full text (PMC186342)

Extracted findings

These fields were extracted from the paper with AI assistance and have not been checked against the source. Read them as a pointer into the paper, not as curated claims; where they disagree with the curated summary above, the curated summary stands.

Intervention	Genetic/pharmacologic (mTOR/S6K1/4EBP1)
Target	mTOR / S6K1 / 4EBP1-eIF4E
Model	Mammalian cells
Effect	Mammalian cell size is controlled by mTOR through its downstream targets S6K1 and 4EBP1/eIF4E

In the Atlas

Links in the pathway map

Supports 4E-BP1 inhibits eIF4E
Supports Rapamycin inhibits mTORC1

Cite this paper

ShowHide

Fingar, D. C., Salama, S., Tsou, C., Harlow, E., & Blenis, J. (2002). Mammalian cell size is controlled by mTOR and its downstream targets S6K1 and 4EBP1/eIF4E. Genes & development. https://doi.org/10.1101/gad.995802

@article{FIN2002,
  author       = {Fingar, D. C. and Salama, S. and Tsou, C. and Harlow, E. and Blenis, J.},
  title        = {{Mammalian cell size is controlled by mTOR and its downstream targets S6K1 and 4EBP1/eIF4E}},
  journal      = {Genes & development},
  year         = {2002},
  doi          = {10.1101/gad.995802},
  note         = {PMID: 12080086},
}

Cite this Atlas record

The record is the Atlas's own work — the evidence label, the extracted findings and the links. It is cited as part of the dataset, not as the paper.

Barton, O. (2026). Oliver's mTOR Atlas (record FIN2002) [Data set]. https://mtor-atlas.org/study/FIN2002/ · Dataset DOI 10.5281/zenodo.22059963

@misc{atlas_FIN2002,
  author       = {Barton, Oliver},
  title        = {{Oliver's mTOR Atlas}, record FIN2002},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://mtor-atlas.org/study/FIN2002/},
  doi          = {10.5281/zenodo.22059963}
}

Was this page useful?