Melanoma Research. 10(6):507-514, DECEMBER 2000
PMID: 11198471
Issn Print: 0960-8931
Publication Date: December 2000
Tumour cell hybridization and metastasis revisited
J. Pawelek;
+ Author Information
Department of Dermatology, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06520, USA. Tel: (+1) 203 785 4411; Fax: (+1) 203 785 7637; Email: john.pawelek@yale.edu.
Abstract
This article reviews a long-standing hypothesis that metastases might be initiated through the generation of hybrids between primary tumour cells and tumour-infiltrating leucocytes such as macrophages. In this concept the hybrids become metastatic through expression of the leucocyte motility phenotype. A history of the hybrid hypothesis is presented along with recent evidence on how macrophage × tumour cell hybridization could account for some of the most defining characteristics of metastatic cells: aneuploidy, enhanced motility, aberrant glycosylation and, particularly seen in melanoma, phenotypic diversity.
