Fibroblasts in cancer: Unity in heterogeneity

Tumor cells do not exist in isolation in vivo, and carcinogenesis depends on the surrounding tumor microenvironment (TME), composed of a myriad of cell types and biophysical and biochemical components. Fibroblasts are integral in maintaining tissue homeostasis. However, even before a tumor develops,...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Cell 2023-04, Vol.186 (8), p.1580-1609
Main Authors: Chhabra, Yash, Weeraratna, Ashani T.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts - metabolism
Carcinogenesis
Humans
Neoplasms - pathology
Tumor Microenvironment - physiology
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Summary:Tumor cells do not exist in isolation in vivo, and carcinogenesis depends on the surrounding tumor microenvironment (TME), composed of a myriad of cell types and biophysical and biochemical components. Fibroblasts are integral in maintaining tissue homeostasis. However, even before a tumor develops, pro-tumorigenic fibroblasts in close proximity can provide the fertile ‘soil’ to the cancer ‘seed’ and are known as cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). In response to intrinsic and extrinsic stressors, CAFs reorganize the TME enabling metastasis, therapeutic resistance, dormancy and reactivation by secreting cellular and acellular factors. In this review, we summarize the recent discoveries on CAF-mediated cancer progression with a particular focus on fibroblast heterogeneity and plasticity.
ISSN:0092-8674
1097-4172
1097-4172
DOI:10.1016/j.cell.2023.03.016