Cell competition

(Illustration by Acapulco Studio)

The secret battles between your cells Cells use a variety of ways to eliminate their rivals, from kicking them out of a tissue to inducing cell suicide or even engulfing them and cannibalizing their components. It’s called cell competition, and it works a bit like natural selection, in that fitter cells win out over their less-fit neighbours. Biologists are looking for ways to fight cancer and ageing by reining in the process or helping it along. Nature | 11 min read