The Epithelial-mesenchymal Transition (EMT), And Asian Giant Hornets (Vespa Mandarinia)

EMT and V. mandarinia
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Biological and Biomedical Sciences
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Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT), and Asian Giant Hornets (Vespa mandarinia)
Question 1: EMT
EMT is a biological process whereby epithelial cells which are polarized undergo a series of biochemical reactions which result in the cells assuming the phenotype of mesenchymal cells. This phenotype enhances the invasiveness, migratory capacity, increased Extracellular Matrix (ECM) production and elevated apoptosis resistance (Kalluri & Weinberg, 2009). The epithelial cells that undergo EMT are those whose basal surface interacts with the membrane basement. The signifying factor for the completion of the process is the increase in mesenchymal cells which move from the original epithelial layer. The other factor is the reduction of the underlying basement of the membrane.
EMT occurs during embryonic development. EMT in this process of embryonic development affects a number of remodeling events of various tissues. The events include the formation of mesoderm, the development of the valves of the heart, the development of the neural crest, regression of the Mullerian duct in males and the formation of the palate (Yang & Weinberg, 2008). From the events, the tissues that are thus affected are those associated with include the heart valves, the palate tissues, the neural crest and the Mullerian duct.
EMT takes place in pathological processes in adults. During tumor genesis, EMT increases the generation of cancer cells in three mechanisms that are distinctive. The first mechanism is the increase in cancer metastasis by triggering the antiapoptotic and invasive mechanism. The second mechanism is EMT accelerating the progress of cancer through the activation of stromal cells. The stromal cells alter the microenvironment of tumor cells through structural and biochemical cells. The third mechanism is the stimulation of the malignancy correlated to the phenotype of the cancer stem cells (Nistico & Bissell et al., 2012). The organs and tissues that EMT has been observed are the kidney, lens, lungs, ovary, and prostate.
EMT occurs in the development of mammary glands. In this development, EMT occurs during the extension of fat pad and duct. The tissues that are affected are the end bugs which exhibit high EMT levels (Nistico & Bissell et al., 2012). The ductal tissues which are extended are also affected. The process extends into the surrounding cells which are also significantly affected.
EMT is observed in mammals, birds, Xenopus and Drosophila. In these groups of animals, the EMT that occurred during the formation of the neural crest led to the vertebra head generation. It also leads to the formation of some tissues, for instance, the skeletal, glandular, neuronal, melanocytes, connective and adrenal tissues (Nistico & Bissel et al., 2012). The transition of the endocardial cells during embryonic development to endocardial cushions leads to the formation of the septal and valvular structures' precursors. In the adult animals, EMT leads to the tissues’ remodeling and wound healing. An example of these animals is human beings. In mice, the hepatocytes don’t have EMT. Other types of invertebrates also do not...