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Updated: Jul 3, 2026

Induction and Analysis of Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition
Published on: August 27, 2013
Generation of breast cancer stem cells through epithelial-mesenchymal transition
Anne-Pierre Morel1, Marjory Lièvre, Clémence Thomas
1Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France.
Abstract:
Recently, two novel concepts have emerged in cancer biology: the role of so-called "cancer stem cells" in tumor initiation, and the involvement of an epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in the metastatic dissemination of epithelial cancer cells. Using a mammary tumor progression model, we show that cells possessing both stem and tumorigenic characteristics of "cancer stem cells" can be derived from human mammary epithelial cells following the activation of the Ras-MAPK pathway. The acquisition of these stem and tumorigenic characters is driven by EMT induction.
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