Immune cell and stromal element

Immune cells and stromal elements collectively describe the two major non-malignant cellular populations in tissue microenvironments, particularly within tumors. Immune cells include T cells, B cells, macrophages, natural killer (NK) cells, neutrophils, dendritic cells, and others, and are responsible for antitumor immune surveillance, immune suppression, and inflammation. Stromal elements encompass cancer-associated fibroblasts, mesenchymal stem cells, endothelial cells, pericytes, and various extracellular matrix components, which provide structural support, regulate angiogenesis, modulate immune responses, and contribute to tumor growth, metastasis, and therapy resistance[3][6][8]. These two cellular compartments engage in intense crosstalk, modulating each other's phenotype and function, and their abundance and composition are associated with prognosis and response to therapies, especially immunotherapies and anti-angiogenic agents[1][3][4][7][8]. Abnormalities or imbalances in immune cell and stromal element populations are implicated in diverse diseases, primarily cancer, but also chronic inflammatory conditions and fibrosis. In summary, "Immune cells and stromal elements" is not a specific therapeutic target, molecule, or protein, but rather a general descriptor of multiple cell populations relevant to tissue and cancer biology and should not be annotated as a molecular target.

Other names

Tumor microenvironment cellsTumor-infiltrating immune cells and stromaTME cells