Cell Proliferation in Normal and Malignant Transformed Cells: Thermodynamic Model of Signal Transduction

We present a new thermodynamic model for the mechanism of activation and regulation of cell proliferation in the $G_1$ stage. In this model, the interactions between growth factors and transmembrane proteins play a crucial role in cell growth control for a normal tissue-culture system. We calculate a phase diagram of normal and malignant transformed states of a cell signal transduction system. We propose thermodynamic reasons why cancer cells can continually grow without activation by the growth factors.