Yang, Ming and Brackenbury, William J orcid.org/0000-0001-6882-3351 (2013) Membrane potential and cancer progression. Frontiers in physiology. 185.
Abstract
Membrane potential (Vm ), the voltage across the plasma membrane, arises because of the presence of different ion channels/transporters with specific ion selectivity and permeability. Vm is a key biophysical signal in non-excitable cells, modulating important cellular activities, such as proliferation and differentiation. Therefore, the multiplicities of various ion channels/transporters expressed on different cells are finely tuned in order to regulate the Vm . It is well-established that cancer cells possess distinct bioelectrical properties. Notably, electrophysiological analyses in many cancer cell types have revealed a depolarized Vm that favors cell proliferation. Ion channels/transporters control cell volume and migration, and emerging data also suggest that the level of Vm has functional roles in cancer cell migration. In addition, hyperpolarization is necessary for stem cell differentiation. For example, both osteogenesis and adipogenesis are hindered in human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) under depolarizing conditions. Therefore, in the context of cancer, membrane depolarization might be important for the emergence and maintenance of cancer stem cells (CSCs), giving rise to sustained tumor growth. This review aims to provide a broad understanding of the Vm as a bioelectrical signal in cancer cells by examining several key types of ion channels that contribute to its regulation. The mechanisms by which Vm regulates cancer cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation will be discussed. In the long term, Vm might be a valuable clinical marker for tumor detection with prognostic value, and could even be artificially modified in order to inhibit tumor growth and metastasis.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | Copyright © 2013 Yang and Brackenbury. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in other forums, provided the original authors and source are credited and subject to any copyright notices concerning any third-party graphics etc. |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of York |
Academic Units: | The University of York > Faculty of Sciences (York) > Biology (York) |
Funding Information: | Funder Grant number MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL (MRC) G1000508 |
Depositing User: | Pure (York) |
Date Deposited: | 25 Apr 2014 17:00 |
Last Modified: | 26 Nov 2024 00:28 |
Published Version: | https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2013.00185 |
Status: | Published |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.3389/fphys.2013.00185 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:78701 |