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Updated: Feb 15, 2026

Induction and Analysis of Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition
Published on: August 27, 2013
The Mesenchymal-Epithelial and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Cellular Plasticity of Liver Metastases with Digestive Origin
Amalia Raluca Ceausu1, Alexandru Ciolofan1,2, Anca Maria Cimpean3
1Department of Microscopic Morphology/Histology, Angiogenesis Research Center Timisoara, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Romania.
Background:
Few data are available regarding the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) /mesenchymal to epitheilal transition (MET) in the liver metastasis of digestive cancers. The aim of this study was to establish EMT/MET metastatic tumor cell plasticity according to the histological growth pattern of liver metastases.
Materials And Methods:
Biopsies from 25 patients with liver metastasis (desmoplastic, replacement and pushing type) were evaluated. Double immunostaining of E-cadherin/vimentin, keratin 8,18/vimentin and E-cadherin/ keratin 8,18 were performed.
Results:
The following cell types were noted: epithelial, mesenchymal, non-differentiated and differentiated hybrid mesenchymal/ epithelial and non-hybrid phenotype. All cases had mesenchymal/ epithelial phenotype cells. A significant correlation was found between the non-differentiated hybrid mesenchymal/ epithelial phenotype metastatic cells and histological growth pattern for gastric and colorectal cancer.
Conclusion:
A MET-targeting strategy, in conjunction with conventional chemotherapy, may be useful for the treatment of liver metastases.
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