Partial EMT/MET: An Army of One
Sofiane Hamidi1, Hiroki Nagai1, Guojun Sheng2
1International Research Centre for Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan.
Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)
|September 17, 2020
Summary
The binary concept of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) is outdated. Research suggests a spectrum of intermediate cellular states, requiring new tools to target EMT-related diseases.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Molecular Biology
- Cancer Research
Background:
- The traditional view of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) as a binary switch between epithelial and mesenchymal states is insufficient.
- Experimental evidence increasingly supports a more nuanced understanding of EMT.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose a re-definition of the EMT paradigm as a spectrum of cellular states.
- To highlight the need for new technical tools to analyze these intermediate states.
- To identify therapeutic targets within EMT-related diseases.
Main Methods:
- Conceptual re-evaluation of existing EMT models.
- Literature review of experimental evidence.
- Theoretical framework development for intermediate cellular states.
Main Results:
- The binary E/M model is inadequate for describing EMT.
- EMT exists as a spectrum with a vast number of intermediate cellular states.
- A significant gap exists in technical tools for characterizing these states.
Conclusions:
- The EMT paradigm requires a spectral re-definition.
- Developing tools to contextualize intermediate cellular states is crucial.
- Targeting specific mechanisms within the EMT spectrum offers new therapeutic strategies for EMT-related diseases.
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