Epithelial Mesenchymal

Transition (EMT)
and Metastasis
Shannon, Bernard & Kai Ni
Unity Secondary School
Epithelial cells vs
Mesenchymal Cells
Epithelial cells Mesenchymal Cells
-lack mobility
-organized into closely
adherent(sticking fast to an
object or surface) sheets
-migrate easily
-containing a loose aggregate of
reticular fibrils and unspecialized
cells
Example: Keratinocyte (skin
cells)
Example: Fibroblast (can also
migrate slowly over substratum
as individual cells, again in
contrast to epithelial cells)
What is EMT?
Process whereby epithelial cells have
polarity/adhesion and
migratory/invasive properties

Essential for numerous developmental
processes (eg neural tube formation)

Has been shown to occur in wound
healing/metastasis for cancer progression

Genes mediating EMT
Snail family of transcription factors (eg Snail, Slug, Zeb1,
Twist1)
Zinc-finger transcription factors

Induction of the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT)

Formation and maintenance of mesoderm (middle layer)
during embryonic development

Growth arrest

Survival and cell migration
Examples of Snail-mediated EMT
1. Embryonic gastrulation gives rise to
mobile neural crest cells, mesoderm and
endoderm

2. Inflammation and fibrosis (extended
periods of time)

3. Cancer cells, undergoing EMT to increase
invasiveness and thus, metastasis

Neural tube formation

Video of neural tube formation

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ue6f-
_IG42Y

in vitro vs in vivo

in vitro: Laboratory experiments
performed in test tubes, outside of
animals

in vivo: Laboratory experiments
performed on animals, living systems

Currently, most EMT research has been
conducted in vitro (cancer cell lines) and
has not been shown in vivo.
THE END
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