Immune Cell Signaling Networks in Tumor and Regenerative Stem Cell Niches
A Special Issue of Cells (ISSN 2073-4409) belonging to the section "Stem Cells".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 February 2027 | Viewed by 998
Editor
Interests: immune-oncology; tumor microenvironment; inflammation; macrophages; dendritic cells; hematopoietic stem cells; cell signaling; calcium-signaling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Immune cell signaling, constantly sensing biochemical and mechanical cues in the microenvironment, plays a key role in both malignant progression and tissue repair. In tumors, leukocytes are rewired by oncogenic pathways and aberrant matrix stiffness, whereas in regenerative stem cell niches the same signaling axes coordinate repair, remodeling, and homeostasis. This Special Issue, “Immune Cell Signaling Networks in Tumor and Regenerative Stem Cell Niches”, will showcase studies that unravel and therapeutically harness these shared mechanisms. We invite original research and state-of-the-art reviews exploring immune checkpoints, macrophage polarization, T-cell activation, and cytokine/chemokine landscapes via single-cell or spatial omics. Contributions employing engineered biomaterials, from adaptive hydrogels to organ-on-chip platforms, to build precise 3D culture models for mechanistic insight and drug testing are especially welcome, as are manuscripts translating these discoveries into novel immunotherapies, biomaterial-guided cell engineering, or combination strategies that regenerate tissue while restraining cancer. By bringing together expertise in cancer biology, regenerative medicine, and bioengineering, this issue will distill fundamental principles of immune regulation and outline actionable paths toward next-generation, niche-informed interventions that improve patient outcomes across disease spectra.
Dr. Luigi Racioppi
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- tumor microenvironment
- stem cell niche
- macrophage polarization
- T-cell activation
- immune checkpoints
- targetable signaling pathways
- engineered biomaterials
- immune signaling in 3D culture
- organ-on-chip models
- single-cell omics
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