Islet Tumor Region (IMAGE)
Caption
Cancer researchers struggle to identify tumor cells that are interspersed within nonmalignant tissues because tumor cells exploit the tissue environment and monopolize available resources to continue growing. Researchers attribute cancer cell's ability to use cell signaling and metabolic pathways that override normal cell growth restrictions to complicated chemical exchanges between tissue and tumor cells. A new approach shows promise to begin analyzing cell-to-cell interactions in this complex environment. The researchers discuss their work in Biointerphases. In this image, an islet tumor region shown with normal staining and with the time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry. Fatty molecules appear in red, iron and other blood-related components are green, and surrounding tissue is blue.
Credit
Dan Graham and Blake Bluestein
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