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Clinical impact of studying epithelial–mesenchymal plasticity in pluripotent stem cells
Author(s) -
Kovacic Boris,
Rosner Margit,
Schipany Katharina,
Ionce Loredana,
Hengstschläger Markus
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
european journal of clinical investigation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.164
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1365-2362
pISSN - 0014-2972
DOI - 10.1111/eci.12415
Subject(s) - reprogramming , induced pluripotent stem cell , embryonic stem cell , epithelial–mesenchymal transition , biology , stem cell , cancer stem cell , mesenchymal stem cell , metastasis , microbiology and biotechnology , cancer , cancer research , cell , genetics , gene
Background The ability of cells to travel long distances in order to form tissues and organs is inherently connected to embryogenesis. The process in which epithelial‐like embryonic cells become motile and invasive is termed ‘epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition’ ( EMT ), while the reversion of this programme – yielding differentiated cells and organs – is called ‘mesenchymal‐to‐epithelial transition’ ( MET ). Design Here, we review the processes of EMT and MET in development and cancer and combine them with knowledge from pluripotent stem cell research. Results Research has shown that these processes are activated in many cancers leading to dissemination of cancer cells throughout the body and formation of metastasis. While the regulation of EMT during cancer progression has been extensively studied for decades, many fundamental processes that govern normal development are only poorly understood. Recent discoveries, such as reprogramming to pluripotent stem cells and identification of ground and primed states of pluripotent stem cells, have redirected much attention to EMT and MET . Conclusion Findings from pluripotent stem cell research and EMT / MET should be combined in order to design future strategies aimed to improve our understanding of cancer progression and to help develop novel anticancer strategies.