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Updated: Jul 10, 2026

An In Vitro System to Study Tumor Dormancy and the Switch to Metastatic Growth
Published on: August 11, 2011
Pre-EMTing metastasis? Recapitulation of morphogenetic processes in cancer
Geert Berx1, Eric Raspé, Gerhard Christofori
1Department for Molecular Biomedical Research, Molecular and Cellular Oncology, VIB, Technologiepark 927, 9052, Ghent (Zwijnaarde), Belgium.
Abstract:
EMT (epithelial-mesenchymal transition) is a morphogenetic process in which cells loose their epithelial characteristics and gain mesenchymal properties during embryogenesis. Similar processes regulated by similar pathways are recapitulated during tumour progression, endowing cells with invasive properties, thereby contributing to the formation of metastases. In this review, we outline key features of EMT and discuss the evidence for its involvement in the dissemination of tumours. Finally we review the recent literature concerning the mechanisms that regulate EMT in the tumour context, with a particular focus on breast cancer.
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