Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 20, 2025
07:43
Heteromulticellular Stromal Cells in Scaffold-free 3D Cultures of Epithelial Cancer Cells to Drive Invasion
Published on: April 4, 2025
243
Cross-Talk Between Cancer and Its Cellular Environment-A Role in Cancer Progression.
Eliza Turlej1, Aleksandra Domaradzka1, Justyna Radzka1
1Departament of Molecular Physiology and Neurobiology, University of Wrocław, ul. Sienkiewicza 21, 50-335 Wrocław, Poland.
Cells
|March 26, 2025
Summary
The tumor microenvironment, a complex network of non-cancerous cells, significantly influences cancer progression, metastasis, and treatment resistance. Understanding this cellular microenvironment is crucial for developing effective cancer therapies.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Cell Biology
- Immunology
Background:
- The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a complex 3D network.
- It includes extracellular matrix and diverse non-cancerous cells like immune cells, fibroblasts, and endothelial cells.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize current knowledge on the TME's role in cancer.
- To highlight the impact of cellular components on cancer progression and treatment response.
Main Methods:
- Literature review and synthesis of existing studies.
- Analysis of the TME's cellular components and their functions.
Main Results:
- The TME's cellular components critically influence cancer survival and metastasis.
- These cells play a key role in determining therapy resistance.
Conclusions:
- The cellular microenvironment is a critical modulator of cancer.
- Targeting the TME offers potential for novel cancer treatment strategies.
Related Concept Videos
02:17The Tumor Microenvironment
6.5K
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...
6.5K
02:53Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells
5.7K
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,...
Some of the advantages that cancer cells have on normal cells include - enhanced ability to divide without terminally differentiating, induce new blood vessel formation,...
5.7K
02:07Tumor Progression
6.2K
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...
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...
6.2K
02:30Metastasis
5.5K
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...
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...
5.5K
02:40Cancer Stem Cells and Tumor Maintenance
4.7K
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...
Cancer stem cells are thought to originate from tissue-specific normal stem cells or progenitor cells. The normal stem cells usually reside in...
4.7K
02:18Cancer
47.3K
Cancers arise due to mutations in genes involved in the regulation of cell division, which leads to unrestricted cell proliferation. Modern science and medicine have made great strides in the understanding and treatment of cancer, including eradicating cancer in some patients. However, there is still no cure for cancer. This is largely due to the fact that cancer is a large group of many diseases.
47.3K