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Updated: Jan 19, 2026

Induction and Analysis of Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition
Published on: August 27, 2013
Traditional Chinese Medicine and regulatory roles on epithelial-mesenchymal transitions
Jing Bai1, Wee Chiew Kwok2, Jean-Paul Thiery3
11Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, USA.
Abstract:
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a critical biological process allowing epithelial cells to de-differentiate into mesenchymal cells. Orchestrated signaling pathways cooperatively induce EMT and effect physiological, sometimes pathological outcomes. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been clinically prescribed for thousands of years and recent studies have found that TCM therapies can participate in EMT regulation. In this review, the historical discovery of EMT will be introduced, followed by a brief overview of its major roles in development and diseases. The second section will focus on EMT in organ fibrosis and tissue regeneration. The third section discusses EMT-induced cancer metastasis, and details how EMT contribute to distant dissemination. Finally, new EMT players are described, namely microRNA, epigenetic modifications, and alternative splicing. TCM drugs that affect EMT proven through an evidence-based research approach will be presented in each section.
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