BPoD has moved!

BPoD has recently changed our domain name - we can now be found at bpod.org.uk

Please update your bookmarks!

Now in our 13th year of bringing you beautiful imagery from biomedical science every day

Search the archive of over 4000 images

Entry Code

Clues to why different cancers favour spread to particular organs and tissues

08 November 2019

Entry Code

In most cases of cancer, the disease becomes more life threatening when cells leave the original tumour site and begin colonising other organs – a process called metastasis. But metastatic cancer cells don’t settle just anywhere. Depending on the original type of cancer, certain organs tend to be favoured over others. Breast cancer cells, for example, tend to migrate to brain, bones, liver and lung. Scientists are beginning to figure out the molecular codes responsible for such targeting, and have recently discovered proteins expressed in breast cancer cells that enable brain colonisation – the proteins facilitate the cells’ entry into the brain and shield them from immune attack. Pictured are such metastatic cells (green) growing in the brain having overcome the immune defences (red). By identifying these molecular access signals, researchers hope to develop strategies to block them and therefore halt the deadly spread.

Written by Ruth Williams

Search The Archive

Submit An Image

Follow on Tumblr

Follow on Instagram

What is BPoD?

BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.

Read More

BPoD is also available in Catalan at www.bpod.cat with translations by the University of Valencia.