Alterations in Cell-Extracellular Matrix Interactions during Progression of Cancers
Cancer progression is a multistep process during which normal cells exhibit molecular changes that culminate into the highly malignant and metastatic phenotype, observed in cancerous tissues. The initiation of cell transformation is generally associated with genetic alterations in normal cells that...
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Published in | International Journal of Cell Biology Vol. 2012; no. 2012; pp. 177 - 184 |
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Main Authors | , , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
Cairo, Egypt
Hindawi Limiteds
2012
Hindawi Puplishing Corporation Hindawi Publishing Corporation Wiley |
Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | Cancer progression is a multistep process during which normal cells exhibit molecular changes that culminate into the highly malignant and metastatic phenotype, observed in cancerous tissues. The initiation of cell transformation is generally associated with genetic alterations in normal cells that lead to the loss of intercellular- and/or extracellular-matrix- (ECM-) mediated cell adhesion. Transformed cells undergo rapid multiplication and generate more modifications in adhesion and motility-related molecules which allow them to escape from the original site and acquire invasive characteristics. Integrins, which are multifunctional adhesion receptors, and are present, on normal as well as transformed cells, assist the cells undergoing tumor progression in creating the appropriate environment for their survival, growth, and invasion. In this paper, we have briefly discussed the role of ECM proteins and integrins during cancer progression and described some unique conditions where adhesion-related changes could induce genetic mutations in anchorage-independent tumor model systems. |
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Bibliography: | ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23 Academic Editor: Jun Chung |
ISSN: | 1687-8876 1687-8884 |
DOI: | 10.1155/2012/219196 |