Epithelial-to-mesenchymal Transition in Bronchial Epithelial Cells

Introduction: Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a crucial process during embryonic development as well as in wound repair and tissue regeneration. Thereby epithelial cells lose their polarity and become motile mesenchymal cells which are described to contribute to different diseases such as tissue fibrosis and cancer progression/metastasis. Disassembly of the junctional complexes and therewith the disruption of the epithelial barrier is an early event of EMT and necessary prior further changes leading to single cell invasion. Up to now, it remains elusive if the bronchial epithelium exhibits EMT pote…