Tumor Microenvironment of Metastasis (IMAGE) Albert Einstein College of Medicine Caption Metastasis requires the presence of three cells in the same microanatomic site: a tumor cell that produces the protein MENA; a macrophage (cells that guide tumor cells to blood vessels); and a blood-vessel endothelial cell. The presence of three such cells in contact with each other is called a tumor microenvironment of metastasis, or TMEM, which is depicted within the rectangle in this illustration. Credit Courtesy Clinical Cancer Research Usage Restrictions None License Licensed content Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.