Preface -- Contributors.- Beyond the channel: Role of connexins in regulating normal and cancerous processes in the mammary gland.-     Connexins: Bridging the gap between the tumor microenvironment and cancer cell communication in brain tumors -- MicroRNA and Gap Junctions in Glioblastoma cells: Implications for cellular therapy.- Dynamic regulation of adherens junctions: implication in cell differentiation and tumor development -- Cadherin-based cell-cell adhesions: adhesion structure, signalling and computational modeling.- E-cadherin/catenin complex modulations in human oral cancer.-      Tumor-derived exosomes in metastasis signaling and implications.-      Tunneling Nanotubes: Intercellular conduits for direct cell-to-cell communication in cancer.- Cell-Cell Fusion, Chemotaxis and Metastasis.- Role of the family of Ephs and Ephrins in non-junctional cell-cell communication in cancer.- Computational approaches to modeling of molecular interactions in multicellular systems.- Contact Normalization or Escape from the Matrix.- Intercellular communication, the tumor microenvironment, and tumor progression.- Index.

Cells are by nature compelled to live in groups. They develop dependence over signaling cues received from their microenvironment, in particular from other cells, whether of their own “kind” or of a different type. Therefore, communicating with these cells is a critical aspect of their behavior and fate, as they live and die normally or as they undergo disease-related pathological changes, with dramatic repercussions. In this book, we have asked expert researchers in the field of Intercellular Communication in Cancer to provide chapters on different aspects of interaction between neighboring cells, in the context of cancer diseases. We have specifically focused our efforts on membrane-to-membrane contact-based rather than growth factors-mediated modes of intercellular communications. The contributing authors provide an extensive overview of their respective area of specialization, with an in-depth discussion of the molecular mechanisms of cell-cell interactions, the impact on tumor progression and response to therapies, as well as the cancer diagnostic value of this scientific information. This book aims to introduce essential aspects of the normal and pathological cellular fate and homeostasis to both scientists and clinicians, and also to provide established researchers with an update on the novelties and future directions this expanding field is witnessing.