Figure 4. Effect of PaSCs on tumor cell invasion and desmoplasia.

There is accumulating evidence for PaSC cross-talk with tumor cells, which in turn contributes to the profound tumor desmoplasia that is noted in pancreatic cancer (12, 14, 80–84). Such direct or indirect cell-cell dialogue can also promote tumor invasion and possibly angiogenesis, although a role in angiogenesis has been more studied in the liver. Other cells in the pancreas (for example acinar cells, ductal cells, endothelial cells, and leukocytes) are likely to be involved.