Identification of a Human Airway Epithelial Cell Subpopulation with Altered Biophysical, Molecular, and Metastatic Properties.

ABSTRACT: Lung cancers are documented to have remarkable intratumoral genetic heterogeneity. However, little is known about the heterogeneity of biophysical properties, such as cell motility, and its relationship to early disease pathogenesis and micrometastatic dissemination. In this study, we identified and selected a subpopulation of highly migratory premalignant airway epithelial cells that were observed to migrate through microscale constrictions at up to 100-fold the rate of the unselected immortalized epithelial cell lines. This enhanced migratory capacity was found to be Rac1-dependent and heritable, as evidenced by maintenance of the phenotype through multiple cell divisions continuing more than 8 weeks after selection. The morphology of this lung epithelial subpopulation was characterized

SUBMITTER: Pagano PC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5584580 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature