[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":3,"doc-seo-373380-105":59,"doc-detail-373380-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,13,18,23,28,33,38,43,48,51,55],{"id":8,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":10,"show_sort_weight":11,"slug":12},1,"Document","Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":14,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":15,"show_sort_weight":16,"slug":17},2,"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":19,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":20,"show_sort_weight":21,"slug":22},4,"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":24,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":25,"show_sort_weight":26,"slug":27},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":29,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":30,"show_sort_weight":31,"slug":32},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":34,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":35,"show_sort_weight":36,"slug":37},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":39,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":40,"show_sort_weight":41,"slug":42},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":44,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":45,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":47},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":46,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":49,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":50},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":52,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":53,"show_sort_weight":52,"slug":54},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":56,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":57,"show_sort_weight":24,"slug":58},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":60,"data":61},"ok",{"site_id":62,"language":63,"slug":64,"title":65,"keywords":66,"description":67,"schema_data":68,"social_meta":123,"head_meta":125,"extra_data":127,"updated_unix":129},105,"en","schwann-cells-in-regeneration-and-cancer-an-epithelial-mesenchymal-transition-perspective","Schwann cells in regeneration and cancer - an epithelial– mesenchymal transition perspective","","Schwann cells in the peripheral nervous system exhibit remarkable plasticity, reprogramming after injury to generate repair phenotypes that support tissue regeneration and axonal regrowth. Multiple studies identify epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) activation as a key mechanism driving this phenotypic flexibility, reflecting developmental plasticity. However, the same EMT-linked programs can be misdirected in pathological settings, including Schwann cell–derived tumours, where EMT enhances progression and aggressiveness. In the tumour microenvironment, activated Schwann-cell states further promote cancer migration and invasion by activating EMT in cancer cells.",{"@graph":69,"@context":122},[70,84,105],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":35,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/healthcare/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/schwann-cells-in-regeneration-and-cancer-an-epithelial-mesenchymal-transition-perspective/373380/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/schwann-cells-in-regeneration-and-cancer-an-epithelial-mesenchymal-transition-perspective/373380.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"Riley West","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-28","2026-09-23",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":44},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",{"@type":106,"mainEntity":107},"FAQPage",[108,114,118],{"name":109,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":111},"What is the role of Schwann cells in peripheral nerve regeneration?","Question",{"text":112,"@type":113},"Schwann cells support and maintain nerve function and, after injury, undergo reprogramming to generate repair phenotypes that promote regenerative responses and axonal regrowth.","Answer",{"name":115,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":116},"How does EMT relate to Schwann cell phenotypic plasticity?",{"text":117,"@type":113},"EMT activation is highlighted as a driver of Schwann cell phenotypic plasticity, enabling neural crest–derived Schwann cells to adopt repair phenotypes similar to developmental plasticity.",{"name":119,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":120},"Why can EMT activation become harmful in cancer?",{"text":121,"@type":113},"In Schwann cell–derived tumours, EMT activation enhances cancer progression and aggressiveness, and tumour microenvironment–activated Schwann phenotypes can also promote migration and invasion by activating EMT in cancer cells.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":124,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":95,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":126,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":128,"site_id":62},373380,1790273359,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":131},{"doc_id":128,"user_id":132,"nickname":92,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":34,"category_name":35,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":44,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":139,"language":140,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":141,"faqs":142,"seo_title":143,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":144,"read_time":36},1099523885074,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_9964176cb1d06d4a9deccf72a44ae3dc","Cite this article: Gracia F, Sanchez-Laorden B, Gomez-Sanchez JA. 2025 Schwann cells in regeneration and cancer: an epithelial– mesenchymal transition perspective. Open Biol.  \n15: 240337.  \n[https://doi.org/10.1098/rsob.240337](https://doi.org/10.1098/rsob.240337)  \n[Received: 6 November 2024](Received: 6 November 2024)  \n[Accepted: 9 February 2025](Accepted: 9 February 2025)  \nSubject Areas:  \ncellular biology, neuroscience, developmental biology  \nKeywords:  \nSchwann cells, epithelial–mesenchymal transition, plasticity, regeneration, cancer  \nAuthors for correspondence:  \nBerta Sanchez-Laorden  \ne-mail: [berta.lopez@umh.es](berta.lopez@umh.es)[ ](berta.lopez@umh.es)Jose A. Gomez-Sanchez [e-mail:](e-mail: gomez_jan@isabial.es)[ gomez_jan@isabial.es](e-mail: gomez_jan@isabial.es)  \nSchwann cells in regeneration and cancer: an epithelial–mesenchymal transition perspective  \nFrancisco Gracia1, Berta Sanchez-Laorden1 and Jose A. Gomez-Sanchez1,2  \n1Instituto de Neurociencias CSIC-UMH, San Juan de Alicante, 03550, Spain  \n2Instituto de Investigacion Sanitaria y Biomedica de Alicante (ISABIAL), Alicante 03010, Spain  FG, 0000-0002-3710-2751; BS-L, 0000-0002-6499-6332; JAG-S, 0000-0002-6746-1800  \nIn the peripheral nervous system, glial cells, known as Schwann cells (SCs), are responsible for supporting and maintaining nerves. One of the most important characteristics of SCs is their remarkable plasticity. In various injury contexts, SCs undergo a reprogramming process that generates specialized cells to promote tissue regeneration and repair. However, in pathological conditions, this same plasticity and regenerative potential can be hijacked. Different studies highlight the activation of the epithelial– mesenchymal transition (EMT) as a driver of SC phenotypic plasticity. Although SCs are not epithelial, their neural crest origin makes EMT activation crucial for their ability to adopt repair phenotypes, mirroring the plasticity observed during development. These adaptive processes are essential for regeneration. However, EMT activation in SCs-derived tumours enhances cancer progression and aggressiveness. Furthermore, in the tumour microenvironment (TME), SCs also acquire activated phenotypes that contribute to tumour migration and invasion by activating EMT in cancer cells. In this review, we will discuss how EMT impacts SC plasticity and function from development and tissue regeneration to pathological conditions, such as cancer.  \n1. Introduction  \nIn the peripheral nervous system (PNS), Schwann cells (SCs), glial cells derived from the neural crest, play a vital role in supporting and maintaining nerve function. A distinctive feature of SCs is their remarkable plasticity, allowing them to adapt dynamically to various physiological and pathological conditions [1] . This plasticity is essential for orchestrating regenerative processes such as digit tip regeneration, skin wound healing and peripheral nerve injury [2–4] . In these contexts, quiescent and adult SCs undergo cellular reprogramming, transforming into proliferating, progenitor-like cells that drive the regenerative response [5–7] . Specifically, during nerve damage these specialized cells, known as repair SCs, undergo a regulated phenotypic switch characterized by the downregulation of myelin-related genes and the upregulation of transcriptional mechanisms that support regeneration. Key players in this process include c-Jun, mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways, Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) and chromatin modifications that control and regulate the repair programme [7–12] . This adaptive reprogramming of the SCs is essential for creating a conducive environment for axonal regrowth and the restoration of nerve function.  \nHowever, the regenerative capacity of SCs can be corrupted in pathological conditions such as tumour innervation, neuropathies and pain [13–15] . In these situations, SCs undergo phenotypic changes with some similarities to those observed during nerve repa","cbCaigGHZe9tYTL1","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaigGHZe9tYTL1","pdf",2879701,16,"English","# 1. Introduction\n## Schwann cell plasticity in the peripheral nervous system\n## EMT activation in injury responses and its unresolved role\n## EMT mechanisms: signals, EMT-TFs, and partial EMT","[{\"question\":\"What is the role of Schwann cells in peripheral nerve regeneration?\",\"answer\":\"Schwann cells support and maintain nerve function and, after injury, undergo reprogramming to generate repair phenotypes that promote regenerative responses and axonal regrowth.\"},{\"question\":\"How does EMT relate to Schwann cell phenotypic plasticity?\",\"answer\":\"EMT activation is highlighted as a driver of Schwann cell phenotypic plasticity, enabling neural crest–derived Schwann cells to adopt repair phenotypes similar to developmental plasticity.\"},{\"question\":\"Why can EMT activation become harmful in cancer?\",\"answer\":\"In Schwann cell–derived tumours, EMT activation enhances cancer progression and aggressiveness, and tumour microenvironment–activated Schwann phenotypes can also promote migration and invasion by activating EMT in cancer cells.\"}]","Schwann cells in regeneration and cancer - an epithelial– mesenchymal transition perspective | PDF",1790199439]