Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transitions: New Advances in Development, Fibrosis and Cancer

This special issue represents a progression through signaling processes, development, fibrosis and cancer, illustrating common underlying mechanisms and highlighting the growing recognition of therapeutic possibilities. Novel molecular pathways are shown in the context of known regulators, and many articles offer specific insights into therapeutic targeting. Not surprisingly, several articles relate to the signaling pathways activated by the common anchor transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta in relation to epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). A number of new mechanisms with therapeutic implications are described, specifically the interplay between the non-Smad PI3 kinase-Akt-mTOR axis and EMT-associated invasion in response to TGF-beta, the unexpected role of c-Abl in repressing TGF-beta1-induced EMT, the cooperativity between oncostatin M, hepatocyte growth factor and TGF-beta1 in lung carcinoma EMT, and the roles of dystroglycan and periostin in developmental EMT associated with gastrulation and palate fusion, respectively. Collectively, the issue presents the full spectrum of interest in EMT today.