Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a crucial process with significance in the metastasis of malignant tumors. It is through the acquisition of plasticity that cancer cells become more mobile and gain the ability to metastasize to other tissues. The mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET) is the return to an epithelial state, which allows for the formation of secondary tumors. Both processes, EMT and MET, are regulated by different pathways and different mediators, which affects the sophistication of the overall tumorigenesis process. Not insignificant are also cancer stem cells and their participation in the angiogenesis, which occur very intensively within tumors. Difficulties in effectively treating cancer are primarily dependent on the potential of cancer cells to rapidly expand and occupy secondarily vital organs. Due to the ability of these cells to spread, the concept of the circulating tumor cell (CTC) has emerged. Interestingly, CTCs exhibit molecular diversity and stem-like and mesenchymal features, even when derived from primary tumor tissue from a single patient. While EMT is necessary for metastasis, MET is required for CTCs to establish a secondary site. A thorough understanding of the processes that govern the balance between EMT and MET in malignancy is crucial.
- Klíčová slova
- Cancer stem Cells, Circulating Tumor cell (CTC), Epithelial-mesenchymal Transition (EMT), Mesenchymal-epithelial Transition (MET),
- MeSH
- epitelo-mezenchymální tranzice * MeSH
- fenotyp MeSH
- kmenové buňky metabolismus cytologie patologie MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- nádorové cirkulující buňky * patologie metabolismus MeSH
- nádorové kmenové buňky * patologie metabolismus MeSH
- nádory patologie metabolismus MeSH
- patologická angiogeneze * patologie MeSH
- proliferace buněk genetika MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- přehledy MeSH