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The Tumor Microenvironment02:17

The Tumor Microenvironment

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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...
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Metastasis02:30

Metastasis

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Metastasis is the spread of cancer cells from the original site to distant locations in the body. Cancer cells can spread via blood vessels (hematogenous) as well as lymph vessels in the body.
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...
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Cancer Stem Cells and Tumor Maintenance02:40

Cancer Stem Cells and Tumor Maintenance

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Early diagnosis and treatment can often cure cancer. However, even with treatment, residual cells called cancer stem cells (CSC) might remain, often causing tumor recurrence. These cancer stem cells possess the potential for self-renewal and multi-lineage differentiation and are often responsible for the therapeutic resistance displayed in most cancers.
Cancer stem cells are thought to originate from tissue-specific normal stem cells or progenitor cells. The normal stem cells usually reside in...
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Drugs that Stabilize Microtubules01:15

Drugs that Stabilize Microtubules

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Microtubules are dynamic structures that undergo cycles of catastrophe and rescue. The microtubules play a central role in cell division by forming the spindle apparatus for segregating the chromosomes. This makes them ideal targets for regulating dividing cells in tumors and malignant cancer cells. Microtubule stabilizing drugs help stabilize the microtubule formation and promote its polymerization. Paclitaxel was the first microtubule stabilizing agent used as anticancer drug in chemotherapy...
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Stem Cell Niche01:26

Stem Cell Niche

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The stem cell niche is the dynamic microenvironment where stem cells reside. Inside these niches, the cells may remain undifferentiated, undergo high self-renewal, or become lineage-specific progenitors. Stem cells coexist with other niche cells, such as stromal cells. They also interact closely with the ECM. Cell-cell and cell-matrix communication occur via adhesion molecules or soluble factors that signal the stem cells and determine their fate. Stromal cells also provide survival signals to...
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Tumor Immunotherapy01:27

Tumor Immunotherapy

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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.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 17, 2025

Studying the Effects of Tumor-Secreted Paracrine Ligands on Macrophage Activation using Co-Culture with Permeable Membrane Supports
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Studying the Effects of Tumor-Secreted Paracrine Ligands on Macrophage Activation using Co-Culture with Permeable Membrane Supports

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Stellate Cells in the Tumor Microenvironment.

David Roife1,2, Bhaswati Sarcar2, Jason B Fleming3

  • 1Department of Surgery, University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, FL, USA.

Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology
|June 27, 2020
PubMed
Summary

Stellate cells, crucial for wound repair, also drive liver and pancreatic cancer progression. Targeting these cells in the tumor microenvironment offers new therapeutic strategies for these cancers.

Keywords:
Alpha-smooth muscle actinCirrhosisDesmoplasiaEpithelial-mesenchymal transitionFibrosisHepatic stellate cellHepatocellular carcinomaMetastasisPancreatic adenocarcinomaPancreatic stellate cellSonic hedgehogVitamin A

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A Mimic of the Tumor Microenvironment: A Simple Method for Generating Enriched Cell Populations and Investigating Intercellular Communication
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Heteromulticellular Stromal Cells in Scaffold-free 3D Cultures of Epithelial Cancer Cells to Drive Invasion
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Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Cell Biology
  • Pathology

Background:

  • Tumor microenvironments resemble chronic wounds, implicating wound-repair cells in cancer.
  • Stellate cells, found in the liver and pancreas, support wound healing via growth factor and extracellular matrix secretion.
  • Dysregulated wound healing involving stellate cells can lead to fibrosis, such as liver cirrhosis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the structure and function of hepatic and pancreatic stellate cells.
  • To explore the role of stellate cells in the tumor microenvironment of liver and pancreatic cancers.
  • To identify potential new therapeutic targets based on stellate cell functions.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review and synthesis of existing research on stellate cells.
  • Analysis of stellate cell contributions to carcinogenesis and tumor progression.
  • Discussion of therapeutic strategies targeting stellate cells.

Main Results:

  • Stellate cells contribute to fibrosis, liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma.
  • These cells promote tumor growth, invasion, metastasis, immune evasion, and chemotherapy resistance in liver and pancreas.
  • Stellate cells are vital components of the tumor stroma in these organs.

Conclusions:

  • Hepatic and pancreatic stellate cells play significant roles in cancer development and progression.
  • Understanding stellate cell biology is key to developing novel cancer therapies.
  • Targeting stellate cells presents a promising avenue for treating liver and pancreatic cancers.