Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Arising from Endothelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition: Induction Factors, Functional Roles, and Transcriptomic Evidence.

ABSTRACT: Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are key components of the tumor microenvironment (TME) that influence cancer progression via extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling and secretion of growth factors and cytokines. Endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) is emerging as an important axis among the heterogeneous origins of CAFs. This review introduces the diverse methods used to induce EndMT in cancer-mouse tumor models, conditioned-medium treatment, co-culture, targeted gene perturbation, ligand stimulation, exosome exposure, irradiation, viral infection, and three-dimensional (3D) culture systems-and summarizes EndMT cell-type evidence uncovered using transcriptomic and proteomic technologies. Hallmark EndMT features include spindle-like morphology, increased motility, impaired angio

SUBMITTER: Han J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12561803 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature