Research progress of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition in the embryonic development

The epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT)is important for generating multiple tissues during organismal development.This process is particularly essential for the gastrulation of metazoans and neural crest delamination of vertebrates.EMT could be induced by multiple environmental factors, identifing the underlying mechanisms of important EMT factors is essential for indicating a precise role for EMT in embryonic stem cells, and characterizing the relationship between EMT and ESCs, Which might contribute in the pathogenesis of the genetic diseases and congenital malformations. Key words: Epithelial-mesenchymal transition; Embryonic development