A top-down view of the tumor microenvironment: structure, cells and signaling
Rahul Bhome1, Marc D Bullock2, Hajir A Al Saihati3
1Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton Southampton, UK ; University Surgery, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital Southampton, UK.
Abstract:
It is well established that the tumor microenvironment (TME) contributes to cancer progression. Stromal cells can be divided into mesenchymal, vascular, and immune. Signaling molecules secreted by the tumor corrupts these cells to create "activated" stroma. Equally, the extracellular matrix (ECM) contributes to tumor development and invasion by forming a biologically active scaffold. In this review we describe the key structural, cellular and signaling components of the TME with a perspective on stromal soluble factors and microRNAs (miRNAs).
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