Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 8, 2026

Quantification of Tumor Cell Adhesion in Lymph Node Cryosections
Published on: February 9, 2020
C-type lectins facilitate tumor metastasis
Dongbing Ding1, Yao Yao2, Songbai Zhang1
1Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Jingmen First People's Hospital, Jingmen, Hubei 448000, P.R. China.
Abstract:
Metastasis, a life-threatening complication of cancer, leads to the majority of cases of cancer-associated mortality. Unfortunately, the underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms of cancer metastasis remain to be fully elucidated. C-type lectins are a large group of proteins, which share structurally homologous carbohydrate-recognition domains (CRDs) and possess diverse physiological functions, including inflammation and antimicrobial immunity. Accumulating evidence has demonstrated the contribution of C-type lectins in different steps of the metastatic spread of cancer. Notably, a substantial proportion of C-type lectins, including selectins, mannose receptor (MR) and liver and lymph node sinusoidal endothelial cell C-type lectin, are important molecular targets for the formation of metastases in vitro and in vivo. The present review summarizes what has been found regarding C-type lectins in the lymphatic and hematogenous metastasis of cancer. An improved understanding the role of C-type lectins in cancer metastasis provides a comprehensive perspective for further clarifying the molecular mechanisms of cancer metastasis and supports the development of novel C-type lectins-based therapies the for prevention of metastasis in certain types of cancer.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Metastasis
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...
Selectins
Cancer Cell Migration through Invadopodia
The Tumor Microenvironment
Cadherins in Tissue Organization
Cell Sorting During Development
Cell sorting plays an...
Chemotaxis and Direction of Cell Migration

