Escaping the stem cell compartment: Sustained UVB exposure allows p53 -mutant keratinocytes to colonize adjacent epidermal proliferating units without incurring additional mutations

Once mutated, a single cell must expand into a clone before becoming significant for carcinogenesis. The forces driving clonal expansion and the obstacles that must be overcome are poorly understood. In a genetic mechanism, acquiring a second mutation conferring a proliferative advantage would en…