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Updated: Apr 13, 2026
10:37
Induction and Analysis of Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition
Published on: August 27, 2013
36.8K
Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition: a double-edged sword
Guislaine Barriere1, Pietro Fici1, Giulia Gallerani1
1Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, Via Piero Maroncelli 40, 47014 Meldola, FC Italy.
Clinical and Translational Medicine
|May 2, 2015
Summary
Epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) is vital for development and healing but can drive cancer invasion and fibrosis when perverted. This review explores EMT's dual role in health and disease.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Developmental Biology
- Pathology
Background:
- Epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a fundamental biological process.
- Dysregulated EMT contributes to pathological conditions like cancer and fibrosis.
- Understanding EMT's role is crucial for clinical applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the clinical significance of EMT.
- To delineate EMT's role in both physiological and pathological contexts.
- To highlight EMT's involvement in cancer invasion and fibrosis.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of EMT.
- Analysis of EMT in embryogenesis and wound healing.
- Examination of EMT's role in cancer metastasis and renal fibrosis.
Main Results:
- EMT is essential for normal embryologic development and wound repair.
- Aberrant EMT signaling promotes cancer cell motility and invasion, leading to circulating tumor cells.
- EMT is implicated in the pathogenesis of fibrotic diseases, including renal fibrosis.
Conclusions:
- EMT is a critical mechanism with a dual role in human health.
- Understanding EMT's perversion in disease is key to developing therapeutic strategies.
- EMT's clinical significance spans from development to cancer and chronic fibrotic conditions.
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