Fraternal cooperation of hierarchical cancer parallels metazoan multicellularity and eusociality.

ABSTRACT: Metazoan multicellularity and eusociality - both outcomes of the fraternal major transitions - have numerous features in common such as uneven distribution of group-establishing potential. In addition to this framework, I argue herein that the group-forming principles of metazoan multicellularity and eusociality are analogous to hierarchical cancer in that the cancer stem cells generate other cancer cells deprived of tumorigenicity. As such, I introduce concepts of germinating reproducers and sterile workers widely applicable to those systems. In particular, exploitative replication is suggested as an efficient strategy for maintaining the cooperation of fraternal cooperative organisations accompanied by asymmetric replication/reproduction. From this point of view, the defectors that spont

SUBMITTER: Choi J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12783436 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature