Modeling stromal–epithelial interactions

Abstract

Modeling the microenvironment of cancer cells has become of particular interest due to increasing evidence linking phenotypic and genotypic alterations within the stromal compartment to the progression of tumors. The dynamic interactions between cancer cells and their host environment can contribute to some of the most destructive characteristics of cancer, including loss of growth control, invasion, and metastasis. While most current cancer models have been focusing on changes in the epithelial compartment, much less is known about the stromal cells and their contribution to the carcinogenic process. An understanding of the tumor microenvironment provides additional targets for preempting cancer and allows the development of better methods for treating it. There have been many attempts to study interactions between tumors and their environment, using in vitro and in vivo models. The value of each of these approaches depends upon the question to be addressed. We will examine some of the most common systems and discuss their utility, as well as propose future challenges for developing new models.