Cell competition is a short-range intercellular communication, in which cells compare their fitness with that of their neighbors and eliminate the cells with relatively lower fitness. It is considered important for the formation and maintenance of healthy tissues; however, its exact role during development, especially in mammals, has been obscure. Recent studies in mouse embryonic epiblast and skin tissues revealed that cell differentiation in early embryos and stem cell proliferation tends to produce suboptimal cells, especially during early developmental stages. Cell competition occurs at multiple stages and via multiple mechanisms during development to ensure elimination of such low-quality cells. Thus, quality control via cell competition supports correct development by overcoming the heterogeneity produced during cell differentiation and stem cell proliferation.

细胞竞争是一种短距离的细胞间通讯，在这种通信中，细胞将自身的适应能力与其邻居的适应能力进行比较，并淘汰适应性相对较低的细胞。它被认为对健康组织的形成和维持很重要。但是，它在发育过程中的确切作用，尤其是在哺乳动物中，一直不清楚。小鼠胚胎上皮细胞和皮肤组织的最新研究表明，早期胚胎中的细胞分化和干细胞增殖趋于产生次优细胞，尤其是在早期发育阶段。细胞竞争发生在开发的多个阶段，并通过多种机制进行，以确保消除这种低质量的细胞。从而，