The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a central mechanism during embryogenesis which is also observed in several tumours in the course of tumour progression. This work deals with the question, if an EMT can also be observed in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and if so, how it is characterised in vitro and in situ at the molecular level. For that purpose the expression of EMT associated molecules has been analysed in situ in different RCC tumour subtypes and gradings on transcript and protein level. Furthermore, the potential influence on the relative phenotype of RCC cell lines by EMT stimuli, RCC therapeutics, various culture conditions or epigenetic modulations has been evaluated as well as how genetic modulation of a rather mesenchymal to an epithelial phenotype impinges on immunorecognition by non MHC (major histocompatibility complex) restricted cytotoxic killer cells.     «

The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a central mechanism during embryogenesis which is also observed in several tumours in the course of tumour progression. This work deals with the question, if an EMT can also be observed in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and if so, how it is characterised in vitro and in situ at the molecular level. For that purpose the expression of EMT associated molecules has been analysed in situ in different RCC tumour subtypes and gradings on transcript and protein...     »