Husna, Amity University Kolkata
The development of an embryo depends on the transition between epithelial cells and mesenchyme. Epithelial cells are found in the lining of cavities, organs, and vessels in the body whereas mesenchymal cells are undifferentiated cells that can differentiate into any type of cells in the body at any time and give rise to blood, lymph vessels, bone, and muscle.
What are the processes of EMT and MET?
The transition between epithelial and mesenchymal cells is known as Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). EMT is the process in which the epithelial cells lose their apical-basal polarity which also loosens the cell-cell junctions, and then they change into mesenchymal cells, they again change back into epithelial cells after reaching their destination. When epithelial cells change into mesenchymal cell morphologies, they have some invasive properties associated with them that can facilitate migration through the extracellular matrix. This is the reverse process which is termed as a mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET). EMT and MET are evolutionarily conserved processes that can direct tissue morphogenesis throughout embryonic development. Both of these processes known as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET) are interlinked and have been recognized for a long time as fundamental processes that can manage the development of the body.
Role of EMT in adults:
Wound healing in response to an injury in adult tissues is done by the process of EMT. However, activation of EMT for a long time in response to chronic inflammation can cause fibrosis (fibrous tissue formation within the organs) and scar formation. Moreover, during the process of metastasis, cancer cells can activate the EMT process to break away from an epithelial tumour, migrate and spread to new tissue, and then undergo MET to create a new tumour. Hence, an understanding of EMT and MET will provide an understanding of the underlying causes of developmental malformations that may result in birth defects, mechanisms of fibrosis, and how cancer spreads throughout the body.
Analyzing cellular dynamics involving EMT and MET:
Several mechanisms can control EMT. Cells undergoing EMT make rapid changes in kinase and adaptor proteins, adhesion and extracellular matrix molecules, cytoskeletal organization, and governing gene expression in response to cell-cell signalling as well as interaction with the local environment. Many of those changes can even modulate the localization or expression of cytoskeletal proteins that mediate cell shape changes and cell motility.
- The most ideal way to analyze the EMT process is in-situ in living organisms because cellular changes during EMT are highly vigorous and context-dependent.
- Embryonic development of model organisms involving EMT is easy to look at with live time-lapse microscopy.
- A recent study by Amack, J.D. (2021) focused on live in-vivo imaging of embryonic development which has led to a better understanding of the mechanisms of EMT.
- The study has highlighted some specific processes involving development in the model embryos like gastrulation in fly and mouse embryos, and neural crest cell (embryonic cell) development in zebrafish and frog embryos. This has further provided in vivo platforms for visualizing cellular dynamics during EMT.
- Kupffer’s vesicle within the zebrafish embryo has been introduced as a new model system to analyze EMT and MET.
In conclusion, these systems have provided an understanding of the dynamics of adherens junction (AJ) remodelling, planar cell polarity signalling, cadherin functions, and cytoskeletal organization during EMT, which don’t seem to be only important for understanding development, but also cancer progression. These findings shed light on mechanisms of actin cytoskeletal dynamics during EMT, and highlight live in vivo imaging strategies that can be utilized in future work for identifying new mechanisms of EMT and MET.
Also read: CRISPR-Cas9 for disease resistance in salmon
Source: Amack, J. D. (2021). Cellular dynamics of EMT: Lessons from live in vivo imaging of embryonic development. Cell Communication and Signaling, 19(1), 79. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12964-021-00761-8
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About the Author: Husna is an undergraduate student of BTech Biotechnology at Amity University Kolkata. She is a research enthusiast in Immunology and Immunotherapy but she has a keen interest in various other Bioscience subjects as well. She is constantly focused on improving her knowledge and laboratory skills through various internships. She is a Scientific content writer who has knowledge in diverse backgrounds of Biotechnology.
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