细胞微环境与上皮细胞肿瘤的发生发展

Cellular microenvironment and epithelial carcinogenesis

正常上皮组织内部的动态平衡由上皮细胞与其微环境之间动态的相互作用来维持。上皮细胞肿瘤的发生发展可以看作是对这种动态平衡的破坏。肿瘤不应仅仅被看作是基因突变造成的 ,肿瘤细胞自主性的 ,单纯的肿瘤细胞增殖群体 ,而是肿瘤细胞在与其微环境乃至机体之间不断的相互作用中演变成的 ,涉及多种细胞成分的另类组织。对肿瘤细胞与其微环境相互作用方式及机制的研究 ,将有助于加深我们对肿瘤本质的认识 。

Normal epithelial tissue homeostasis is maintained by dynamic interactions between epithelial cells and their microenvironment. The initiation and progression of epithelial carcinoma can be seen as a destruction process of such homeostasis. Cancer should not be one-sided regarded as only a mere mass of tumor cells, which proliferate on their own due to a series of genetic mutations. In fact, cancer is a kind of reprogrammed tissue composed of many types of cell, developing gradually during reciprocal interactions between tumor cells and their microenvironment as well as their host. Study on the mode and mechanism of this kind of interaction will help to deepen our understanding of the essence of cancer, and provide more effective therapeutic targets.