The
epithelial-mesenchymal transition (
EMT) is a process by which
epithelial cells lose their cell polarity and cell-cell adhesion, and gain migratory and invasive properties to become
mesenchymal stem cells; these are
multipotent stromal cells that can differentiate into a variety of cell types. EMT is essential for numerous developmental processes including mesoderm formation and
neural tube formation. EMT has also been shown to occur in
wound healing, in organ
fibrosis and in the initiation of
metastasis for cancer progression.