Fig. 9: Model illustrating how the presence of a primary tumor programs disseminated tumor cells for stemness and dormancy at the secondary site. Left Panel: Within the primary tumor, migrating tumor cells are attracted to blood vessels. | Nature Communications

Fig. 9: Model illustrating how the presence of a primary tumor programs disseminated tumor cells for stemness and dormancy at the secondary site. Left Panel: Within the primary tumor, migrating tumor cells are attracted to blood vessels.

From: Primary tumor associated macrophages activate programs of invasion and dormancy in disseminating tumor cells

Fig. 9: Model illustrating how the presence of a primary tumor programs disseminated tumor cells for stemness and dormancy at the secondary site. Left Panel: Within the primary tumor, migrating tumor cells are attracted to blood vessels.

As they approach TMEM doorways (red triangle) on the vasculature, these tumor cells interact with macrophages and programs of dormancy (NR2F1) and invasion (MenaINV) are activated. Dormant cells also adopt cancer stem cell properties (SOX9). These cells then intravasate through TMEM doorways into the vasculature and become circulating tumor cells (CTCs). Right Panel: CTCs retain these programs at the secondary site where the invasion program (MenaINV) facilitates extravasation. The dormancy program expressed by these disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) keeps them as single cells.

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