Several studies have identified the transition from the G1 to the S phase as a crucial control point of the cell cycle. Stimuli are known to cause resting cells to proliferate by inducing them to leave G1 and begin DNA synthesis. These stimuli, called growth factors, are naturally occurring proteins specific to certain groups of cells in the body. They include nerve growth factor, epidermal growth factor, and platelet-derived growth factor. Such factors may have important roles in the healing of wounds as well as in the maintenance and growth of normal tissues. Many growth factors are known to act on the external membrane of the cell, by interacting with specialized protein receptor molecules. These respond by triggering further cellular changes, including an increase in calcium levels that makes the cell interior more alkaline and the addition of phosphate groups to the amino acid tyrosine in proteins. The complex response of cells to growth factors is of fundamental importance to the control of cell proliferation.
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