The Gordian Knot of Quiescence, Commitment, and Clonal Expansion (pdf format, 316 kb., 18 pp., published on Feb. 20, 2010, edited on May 11, 2014 ) Abstract: Perspectives and approaches of importance for understanding the gene kinetics involved in physiological and therapeutic regulation of cell proliferation are outlined. For this purpose a convenient notation is introduced that formalizes verbal information about gene expression similarly to equations. The notation is used explicitly for the genome regulators p300/CBP, c-Myc and Cyclin D1 based on a literature survey. These proteins are capable of effectuating a metabolic switch between cell differentiation and proliferation. By taking into account the likely sequence of evolution of cellular faculties a better discrimination of central and peripheral gene regulatory elements can be achieved. Hence, proliferation is seen as an ancient primordial faculty that later has come, first under inhibitory, then under stimulatory control. This approach is also used for evaluating the various therapeutic approaches to proliferative disorders. Fields: Gene Kinetics, Molecular Biology, Oncology, Medicine, Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmacology, Biology. original 2010 version with printing errors