Colorectal Cancer and Metastases (1 of 2) (IMAGE)
Caption
Previously, only a few genes had been associated with the formation of metastases in colorectal cancer. Now, researchers of the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine Berlin-Buch and Charité -- University Medicine Berlin, Germany, have identified 115 genes that are disregulated both in the primary tumor and in its metastases. Of the 115 genes the researchers identified, they focused on one gene in particular: BAMBI. They discovered that this gene is more active in metastatic tumors and metastases than in non-metastatic tumors.The gene bambi changes tumor cells in such a way that single cells break off from the primary tumor and spread to other body regions to form metastases. These are changed tumor cells, that have left the primary tumor. (in red: cytoskeleton; in blue: the cell nucleus).
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Photo: Johannes Fritzmann/Copyright: MDC
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