Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 19, 2026

Micromanipulation of Circulating Tumor Cells for Downstream Molecular Analysis and Metastatic Potential Assessment
05:17

Micromanipulation of Circulating Tumor Cells for Downstream Molecular Analysis and Metastatic Potential Assessment

Published on: May 14, 2019

MicroRNAs: Crucial multi-tasking components in the complex circuitry of tumor metastasis

Scott Valastyan1, Robert A Weinberg

  • 1Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA.

Cell Cycle (Georgetown, Tex.)
|October 20, 2009
PubMed

Insights

MicroRNAs regulate tumor metastasis, a key factor in cancer deaths. These molecules are crucial in cancer progression and may offer new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for high-grade malignancies.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Distant metastases are the primary cause of cancer mortality.
  • MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are emerging as critical regulators of tumor metastasis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review advances in miRNA-mediated metastasis regulation.
  • To connect miRNA pathways with metastasis research.
  • To explore the diagnostic and therapeutic potential of miRNAs in cancer.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of recent studies on miRNAs and metastasis.
  • Analysis of miRNA regulatory roles in cancer pathogenesis.
  • Synthesis of current evidence on miRNA functions in metastasis circuitry.

Main Results:

  • MicroRNAs exhibit pleiotropic activities, influencing multiple aspects of metastasis.
  • miRNAs act as significant regulatory nodes in metastasis pathways.
  • Evidence suggests miRNAs are integral to the pathogenesis of high-grade malignancies.

Conclusions:

  • MicroRNAs play a crucial, previously unappreciated role in cancer metastasis.
  • Understanding miRNA functions has significant implications for cancer research.
  • miRNAs hold promise for future cancer diagnosis and treatment.

More Related Videos

Monitoring of Nanodrug Accumulation in Murine Breast Cancer Metastases09:48

Monitoring of Nanodrug Accumulation in Murine Breast Cancer Metastases

Published on: August 23, 2024

A Robust Discovery Platform for the Identification of Novel Mediators of Melanoma Metastasis07:41

A Robust Discovery Platform for the Identification of Novel Mediators of Melanoma Metastasis

Published on: March 8, 2022

Related Concept Videos

Metastasis02:30

Metastasis

Metastasis is the spread of cancer cells from the original site to distant locations in the body. Cancer cells can spread via blood vessels (hematogenous) as well as lymph vessels in the body.
Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition
The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition or EMT is a developmental process commonly observed in wound healing, embryogenesis, and cancer metastasis. EMT is induced by transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) or receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) ligands, which further...
Metastasis02:30

Metastasis

Metastasis is the spread of cancer cells from the original site to distant locations in the body. Cancer cells can spread via blood vessels (hematogenous) as well as lymph vessels in the body.
Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition
The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition or EMT is a developmental process commonly observed in wound healing, embryogenesis, and cancer metastasis. EMT is induced by transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) or receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) ligands, which further...
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
The Tumor Microenvironment02:17

The Tumor Microenvironment

Every normal cell or tissue is embedded in a complex local environment called stroma, consisting of different cell types, a basal membrane, and blood vessels. As normal cells mutate and develop into cancer cells, their local environment also changes to allow cancer progression. The tumor microenvironment (TME) consists of a complex cellular matrix of stromal cells and the developing tumor. The cross-talk between cancer cells and surrounding stromal cells is critical to disrupt normal tissue...
The Tumor Microenvironment02:17

The Tumor Microenvironment

Every normal cell or tissue is embedded in a complex local environment called stroma, consisting of different cell types, a basal membrane, and blood vessels. As normal cells mutate and develop into cancer cells, their local environment also changes to allow cancer progression. The tumor microenvironment (TME) consists of a complex cellular matrix of stromal cells and the developing tumor. The cross-talk between cancer cells and surrounding stromal cells is critical to disrupt normal tissue...