Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

The Tumor Microenvironment02:17

The Tumor Microenvironment

7.5K
Every normal cell or tissue is embedded in a complex local environment called stroma, consisting of different cell types, a basal membrane, and blood vessels. As normal cells mutate and develop into cancer cells, their local environment also changes to allow cancer progression. The tumor microenvironment (TME) consists of a complex cellular matrix of stromal cells and the developing tumor. The cross-talk between cancer cells and surrounding stromal cells is critical to disrupt normal tissue...
7.5K
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

4.5K
The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
4.5K
Regulation of Angiogenesis and Blood Supply01:24

Regulation of Angiogenesis and Blood Supply

3.2K
Rapidly dividing tumors, embryos, and wounded tissues require more oxygen than usual, lowering the oxygen concentration in the blood. At low oxygen or hypoxic conditions, an oxygen-sensitive transcription factor called the hypoxia-inducible factor 1 or HIF1 is activated. HIF1 is a dimeric protein of alpha (ɑ) and beta (β) subunits.  Under optimal oxygen conditions, HIF1β is present in the nucleus while HIF1ɑ remains in the cytosol. HIF1ɑ is hydroxylated by prolyl...
3.2K
Tumor Progression02:07

Tumor Progression

7.1K
Tumor progression is a phenomenon where the pre-formed tumor acquires successive mutations to become clinically more aggressive and malignant. In the 1950s, Foulds first described the stepwise progression of cancer cells through successive stages.
Colon cancer is one of the best-documented examples of tumor progression. Early mutation in the APC gene in colon cells causes a small growth on the colon wall called a polyp. With time, this polyp grows into a benign, pre-cancerous tumor. Further...
7.1K
Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells02:53

Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells

6.7K
Cancer cells accumulate genetic changes at an abnormally rapid rate due to the defects in the DNA repair mechanisms. From an evolutionary perspective, such genetic instability is advantageous for cancer development. Mutant cell lines accumulate a series of beneficial mutations that contribute to their progression into cancer.
Some of the advantages that cancer cells have on normal cells include - enhanced ability to divide without terminally differentiating, induce new blood vessel formation,...
6.7K
Tumor Immunotherapy01:27

Tumor Immunotherapy

1.6K
Immunotherapy is a treatment that boosts or manipulates the immune system to fight diseases, including cancer. For instance, by stimulating an immune response through vaccinations against viruses that cause cancers, like hepatitis B virus and human papillomavirus, these diseases can be prevented. Nonetheless, some cancer cells can avoid the immune system due to their rapid mutation and division. The immune response to many cancers involves three phases: elimination, equilibrium, and escape.
1.6K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Efficacy and safety of tocilizumab versus standard care/placebo in patients with COVID-19; a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.

British journal of clinical pharmacology·2021
Same author

Keeping heart homeostasis in check through the balance of iron metabolism.

Acta physiologica (Oxford, England)·2019
Same author

Iron Metabolism in Prostate Cancer; From Basic Science to New Therapeutic Strategies.

Frontiers in oncology·2018
Same author

Systemic and local hepcidin as emerging and important peptides in renal homeostasis and pathology.

BioFactors (Oxford, England)·2018
Same author

The Dual Role of Hepcidin in Brain Iron Load and Inflammation.

Frontiers in neuroscience·2018
Same author

Low hepcidin in liver fibrosis and cirrhosis; a tale of progressive disorder and a case for a new biochemical marker.

Molecular medicine (Cambridge, Mass.)·2018

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 17, 2025

Author Spotlight: Assessing the Impact of Novel Iron Chelators on Cancer Cell Metabolism
05:36

Author Spotlight: Assessing the Impact of Novel Iron Chelators on Cancer Cell Metabolism

Published on: February 23, 2024

789

Iron in the Tumor Microenvironment.

Driton Vela1

  • 1Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Prishtina, Prishtina, Kosovo. driton.vela@uni-pr.edu.

Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology
|June 25, 2020
PubMed
Summary

Cancer cells rely on iron metabolism for survival, not just glucose and glutamine. Understanding iron regulation in the tumor microenvironment offers new therapeutic strategies for cancer treatment.

Keywords:
Cancer stem cellsCancer-associated fibroblastsDivalent metal transporter 1FerritinophagyFerroportinFerroptosisHepcidinInterleukin 6IronIron chelationNanomedicineTransferrin receptor 1Tumor microenvironmentTumor-associated macrophagesVacuolar ATPase

More Related Videos

Author Spotlight: Tracing the Ferroptotic Signatures and Cell Death Dynamics in Medulloblastoma for Advanced Therapeutics
04:01

Author Spotlight: Tracing the Ferroptotic Signatures and Cell Death Dynamics in Medulloblastoma for Advanced Therapeutics

Published on: March 15, 2024

1.7K
Biofunctionalization of Magnetic Nanomaterials
06:40

Biofunctionalization of Magnetic Nanomaterials

Published on: July 16, 2020

2.9K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Dec 17, 2025

Author Spotlight: Assessing the Impact of Novel Iron Chelators on Cancer Cell Metabolism
05:36

Author Spotlight: Assessing the Impact of Novel Iron Chelators on Cancer Cell Metabolism

Published on: February 23, 2024

789
Author Spotlight: Tracing the Ferroptotic Signatures and Cell Death Dynamics in Medulloblastoma for Advanced Therapeutics
04:01

Author Spotlight: Tracing the Ferroptotic Signatures and Cell Death Dynamics in Medulloblastoma for Advanced Therapeutics

Published on: March 15, 2024

1.7K
Biofunctionalization of Magnetic Nanomaterials
06:40

Biofunctionalization of Magnetic Nanomaterials

Published on: July 16, 2020

2.9K

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Cellular Metabolism
  • Cancer Biology

Background:

  • Cancer metabolism research traditionally focuses on glucose and glutamine.
  • Emerging evidence highlights the critical role of iron metabolism in tumor survival.
  • Cancer cells exhibit unique iron metabolism phenotypes to meet their high demands.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the significance of iron metabolism in the tumor microenvironment.
  • To explore how cancer cells regulate iron supply and loss.
  • To identify therapeutic opportunities targeting cancer iron metabolism.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of iron-related protein expression in cancer cells.
  • Investigation of cancer cell interactions with tumor microenvironment components (e.g., macrophages, fibroblasts).
  • Elucidation of mechanistic aspects of iron regulation within the tumor milieu.

Main Results:

  • Cancer cells actively modify iron-related protein expression.
  • Interactions between cancer cells and other tumor cells influence iron homeostasis.
  • Cancer cells develop strategies to increase iron uptake and minimize iron loss.

Conclusions:

  • Iron metabolism is a crucial, yet understudied, aspect of cancer cell survival.
  • Targeting the distinct iron phenotype of cancer cells presents a novel therapeutic avenue.
  • Further research into tumor microenvironment iron dynamics can lead to effective cancer treatments.