mTOR signaling in growth control and disease

Laplante M, Sabatini DM · 2012 · Cell · Atlas ID LAP2012

What this study shows

The classic 2012 Cell review that became the standard reference for mTOR signaling. Comprehensive yet readable synthesis of how mTOR integrates environmental cues to control growth, and how its deregulation drives cancer, obesity, diabetes and neurodegeneration. A perfect companion to the newer 2020 review.

Abstract

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The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway senses and integrates a variety of environmental cues to regulate organismal growth and homeostasis. The pathway regulates many major cellular processes and is implicated in an increasing number of pathological conditions, including cancer, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and neurodegeneration. Here, we review recent advances in our understanding of the mTOR pathway and its role in health, disease, and aging. We further discuss pharmacological approaches to treat human pathologies linked to mTOR deregulation.

Read the full abstract on PubMed →

At a glance

Evidence type	R Review — secondary literature, not a new result Marked R because it is a review or synthesis of existing evidence rather than a new primary result; that is a different form of writing, not a weaker one.
Study type	Narrative Review
Model system	Review (comprehensive)
Journal	Cell
Year	2012
Peer reviewed	Yes
Record last updated	2026-10-01
Source	DOI 10.1016/j.cell.2012.03.017 · PMID 22500797 · Free full text (PMC3331679)

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	Not applicable (review)
Target	mTORC1 / mTORC2
Model	Review
Effect	Comprehensive review of mTOR signaling in growth control and disease (cancer, obesity, diabetes, neurodegeneration)

In the Atlas

Cite this paper

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Laplante, M., & Sabatini, D. M. (2012). mTOR signaling in growth control and disease. Cell. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2012.03.017

@article{LAP2012,
  author       = {Laplante, M. and Sabatini, D. M.},
  title        = {{mTOR signaling in growth control and disease}},
  journal      = {Cell},
  year         = {2012},
  doi          = {10.1016/j.cell.2012.03.017},
  note         = {PMID: 22500797},
}

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 LAP2012) [Data set]. https://mtor-atlas.org/study/LAP2012/ · Dataset DOI 10.5281/zenodo.22059963

@misc{atlas_LAP2012,
  author       = {Barton, Oliver},
  title        = {{Oliver's mTOR Atlas}, record LAP2012},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://mtor-atlas.org/study/LAP2012/},
  doi          = {10.5281/zenodo.22059963}
}

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