Tumor Microenvironment and Immune Regulation
A special issue of Cells (ISSN 2073-4409). This special issue belongs to the section "Cell Microenvironment".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 October 2026 | Viewed by 90
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a highly dynamic cellular ecosystem that plays a pivotal role in cancer initiation, progression, and metastasis. Comprising a heterogeneous population of malignant cells, stromal cells, the extracellular matrix (ECM), and a diverse array of infiltrating immune cells, the TME is governed by complex intra- and extracellular signaling networks. In recent years, advances in cellular immunology have highlighted the profound ways in which tumors and the host immune system interact. A major fundamental challenge in cell biology remains understanding how the profoundly immunosuppressive nature of the TME orchestrates intricate molecular networks to subvert anti-tumor responses, alter cell physiology, and facilitate immune evasion.
This Special Issue aims to present and disseminate the most recent advances related to the molecular and cellular biology of the TME and immune regulation. We are looking for fundamental insights into experimental cytology and cellular immunology, unraveling how cellular crosstalk, metabolic reprogramming, and spatial architecture shape the immune landscape. We welcome original research articles, comprehensive reviews, and communications. In alignment with the aims of Cells, we highly encourage scientists to publish their experimental and theoretical results in as much detail as possible, exploring the deep mechanistic drivers of tumor immune evasion.
Topics of interest for publication include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Intra- and extracellular signaling: Cellular cross-talk and communication pathways within the TME.
- Cellular immunology: Molecular mechanisms of tumor immune evasion and local immunosuppression.
- Cell physiology and differentiation: The biology and regulation of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), and regulatory T cells (Tregs).
- Cellular metabolism: Immunometabolism and its impact on immune cell function, growth, and exhaustion in the TME.
- Omics and cell structure: Spatial transcriptomics and single-cell profiling to map the tumor immune landscape.
- Cell movement and motility: The role of extracellular vesicles and matrix remodeling in immune cell trafficking.
- Cell techniques: Innovative in vitro, in vivo, or computational models to study TME dynamics and cellular interactions.
Dr. Xin Liu
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- cellular immunology
- tumor microenvironment
- intra- and extracellular signaling
- immunometabolism
- experimental cytology
- tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes
- spatial transcriptomics
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