Where cell fate conversions meet Chinese philosophy.

Accumulating evidence indicates that the mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET) and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) are basic mechanisms for cell fate conversion and may help us understand both physiologic and pathologic processes such as development and carcinogenesis. Here, we further suggest that mammalian cells fall into two grand divisions, mesenchymal or epithelial; interconversions between these two grand divisions through EMT/MET resonate with some ancient Chinese philosophic ideas.