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Hindi Review Article, J Clin Exp Oncol S Vol: 3 Issue: 0
Biophysics of Cancer: Cellular Excitability (“CELEX”) Hypothesis of Metastasis
| Mustafa B A Djamgoz* | |
| 1Neuroscience Solutions to Cancer Research Group, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK | |
| Corresponding author : Mustafa B A Djamgoz Neuroscience Solutions to Cancer Research Group, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK Tel: +44 (0) 207 594 5370; Fax: +44 (0) 207 584 2056 E-mail: m.djamgoz@imperial.ac.uk |
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| Received: August 12, 2013 Accepted: January 28, 2014 Published: February 05, 2014 | |
| Citation: Djamgoz MB (2014) Biophysics of Cancer: Cellular Excitability (“CELEX”) Hypothesis of Metastasis. J Clin Exp Oncol S1:005. doi:10.4172/2324-9110.S1-005 |
Abstract
Biophysics of Cancer: Cellular Excitability (“CELEX”) Hypothesis of Metastasis
This article advances a novel hypothesis of metastasis called “CELEX” (for cellular excitability) and presents the current evidence for it. The CELEX hypothesis is based upon concerted expression of voltage-gated ion, particularly Na+ and K+, channels during cancer progression. Electrophysiological recordings from human carcinoma cell lines have shown that, unlike weakly/nonmetastatic cells, cells that have strong metastatic potential express voltage-gated Na+ channels and much reduced outward, mainly K+ currents. Furthermore, the Na+ channel expression is selfsustaining by activity-dependent positive feedback. Thus, strongly metastatic carcinoma cells are excitable and, indeed, generate all-or-none type action potentials, despite their epithelial origin.
