UK Press: Tadpoles may hold cancer clue

BBC News, London, UK, Jan. 29th, 2009: Tadpoles may hold cancer clue

Tadpoles could hold the key to developing effective skin cancer drugs according to researchers at the University of East Anglia.

The scientists have identified a compound which blocks the movement of the pigment cells that give the tadpoles their distinctive markings.

It is the uncontrolled movement of pigment cells that causes skin cancer in both humans and frogs.

The next step, the researchers say, is to test the compound in other animals.

The man-made compound, NSC 84093, was chosen out of a list of 3,000 which were screened to see if they affected the pigment cells.

Continued:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7851932.stm