Cancer: Of Mice and Men
The many genotypically different carcinomas have one commonality: the metastatic process. The stromal microenvironment surrounding neoplastic cells influences their metastasis-related functions (e.g. adhesion, survival, proteolysis, migration, immune escape, and organ targeting). Metastasis starts at the primary tumor when cells loose their adhesiveness, allowing for them to detach from the tumor and migrate. Cell-cell adhesion regulated by E-cadherin is weakened or abolished in metastatic cells. This leads to the malignant invasion of cancer. Preserving E-cadherin expression is the first step in hindering subsequent metastatic events. Within the last two years, research aimed at determining E-cadherin regulation mechanisms has been strictly performed in mouse and human cancer models. It is clear that these are the preferred models since they allow genetic manipulation and provide ways to detect and study the disease in humans. Invasive cancer is of highest concern in medicine, as it is responsible for 90% of patient deaths. ______________________________________The most devastating of cancer properties are invasiveness and metastatic ability. Recent molecular and cellular studies have elucidate
Furthermore, research on human cancer cells helps provide insight into E-cad regulation. Cell adhesion in tumor invasion and metastasis: loss of the glue is not enough. During the past two years, E-cad studies conducted in human cell lines have demonstrated their usefulness in detecting metastatic cancer. Consequently, cellular integrity of the tissue is lost and tumorous cells can start migrating in metastases (Fig. Immunohistochemistry was the main technique employed to localize and quantify E-cad expression in metastasis. (2003) revealed no correlation between E-cad, a-cat, b-cat and metastasis.
Common topics in this essay:
Pb-cat=0001 Tanaka,
Lopez Hanahan,
Bowen Wynshaw-Boris,
Preserving E-cadherin,
Bogenrieder Herlyn,
Cavallaro Christofori,
Hirohashi Kanai,
E-cadherin E-cad,
Mice Humans,
E-cad Chen,
et al,
cell adhesion,
cell-cell adhesion,
human cancer,
et al 2003,
e-cad expression,
cancer research,
al 2003,
resor bowen,
journal cancer,
wynshaw-boris 2001,
tanaka et al,
cancer invasion metastasis,
expression e-cadherin a-catenin,
e-cadherin cell-cell adhesion,
|
Acceptance Essays
