Fig. 6.

Loss of polarity, ACD, and tissue architecture during EMT may contribute to invasion and metastasis. Apical (self-renewal, red) and basal (pro-differentiation, orange) signals are segregated to opposite compartments in asymmetric divisions of some epithelial progenitor cells (green). Disruption of ACD may lead to breakdown of polarity and increased inheritance of pro-proliferative signals usually confined to the apical domain, and a concomitant loss of cell-fate specification. Disruption of apical domain and AJ stability contribute to loss of epithelial integrity, and may be important steps in tumor cell invasion and metastasis