Peroxisome proliferation (PP) in mammalian cells, first described 30 years ago, represents a
fascinating field of modern research. Major improvements made in its understanding were
obtained through basic advances that have opened up new areas in cell biology,
biochemistry and genetics. A decade after the first report on PP, a new metabolic pathway
(peroxisomal β-oxidation) and its inducibility by peroxisome proliferators were discovered.
More recently, a new type of nuclear receptor, the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor …