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 Anoikis. Valentijn AJ, Zouq N, Gilmore AP. Biochem Soc Trans. 2004 Jun;32(Pt3):421-5. Review.

Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell Matrix Research, School of Biological Sciences, A. 3034 Smith Building, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK.

Anoikis is apoptosis induced by loss of cell adhesion or inappropriate cell adhesion. Adhesion on the extracellular matrix is important to determine whether a cell is in the correct location and to delete displaced cells by apoptosis. The ability to overcome this requirement has important implications for metastatic cancer. However, how adhesion signals are interpreted by a cell into a life or death decision is complex. In this paper, we will examine this from the point of view of the apoptotic machinery of the cell, and discuss the various ways in which adhesion can influence this process.