Merlin in organ size control and tumorigenesis: Hippo versus EGFR?

The role of the NF2 gene as a tumor suppressor has been well established. In this issue of Genes & Development, Benhamouche and colleagues (pp. 1718-1730) demonstrate that NF2 is also involved in the regulation of organ size control in mammals. Conditional knockout of Nf2 in the mouse liver results in massive organ enlargement and eventual tumor development, which is attributed to the specific expansion of oval cells. Here we discuss these findings and the proposed molecular mechanisms involved within the context of our current understanding of the pathways regulated by NF2.