Towards elucidation of functional molecular signatures of the adhesive-migratory phenotype of malignant cells

In recent years, such studies were reinforced by major technological and conceptual developments: novel and powerful tools for genomic and proteomic analysis have been developed, and advanced computational approaches offer “systems-level” integration of rich and complex biological datasets into meaningful functional networks. In this article, we consider the current and potential impact of these new experimental approaches and, in particular, the recent progress made in quantitative proteomics, to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the “transformed phenotype”. We will primarily focus on the adhesion and migration of cancer cells, and their relationships to the deregulated growth, metastatic dissemination, and anchorage independence associated with malignant transformation.