Module: 2
Sponsoring Program: Tetrad
Administrator: Toni Hurley

STUDY LIST INFORMATION
Course Number: Biochem 210
Course Name: Epithelial-mesenchymal transitions
Units: 3
Grading Option: S/U
Course Director: Rik Derynck

MORE COURSE INFORMATION
Additional Course Director(s):
Room Number: GH S-204
Campus: Mission Bay
Schedule: April 20-May 8;  Days TBD;  3-5pm
Prerequisites: none
Maximum Class Size: 10

Course Description: Epithelial cells have a plastic phenotype and are able to differentiate into mesenchymal cells. This transdifferentiation process, generally named epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), is characterized by downregulation of epithelial junctions, cell shape and cytoarchitectural changes, reprogramming of gene expression, alterations in cell adhesion, and increased cell motility and invasion. EMT is integral in development, e.g. starting with the generation of mesoderm, and in neural crest delamination, and is repurposed in pathological contexts, e.g. in fibrosis and in cancer progression, where EMT is closely linked to cancer stem cell properties and tumor cell invasion. In this minicourse, we will address different aspects of the cell biology of EMT, and its roles in development and pathology, guided by discussions of recent papers in this field.