Cancer (IMAGE)
Caption
The presence of rosiglitazone may mitigate the mucus-producing cycle that protects uterine and pancreatic cancer cells and promotes metastasis, say researchers at Rice University. Normal cells produce MUC1, a glycoprotein that forms mucus, necessary to protect healthy cells. But in cancer cells, aberrant cell signaling allows EGFRs and MUC1 stimulate each other, allowing mucus to cover and protect the entire cell. "P" indicates phosphorylation, a step in the activation of EGFR required for increasing mucus levels.
Credit
Brian Engel/Rice University
Usage Restrictions
None
License
Licensed content