Collective cancer invasion with leader–follower organization is increasingly recognized as a predominant mechanism in the metastatic cascade. Leader cells support cancer invasion by creating invasion tracks, sensing environmental cues and coordinating with follower cells biochemically and biomechanically. With the latest developments in experimental and computational models and analysis techniques, the range of specific traits and features of leader cells reported in the literature is rapidly expanding. Yet, despite their importance, there is no consensus on how leader cells arise or their essential characteristics. In this Perspective, we propose a framework for defining the essential aspects of leader cells and provide a unifying perspective on the varying cellular and molecular programmes that are adopted by each leader cell subtype to accomplish their functions. This Perspective can lead to more effective strategies to interdict a major contributor to metastatic capability.

具有领导者 - 追随者组织的集体癌症侵袭越来越被认为是转移级联反应中的主要机制。领导细胞通过创建入侵轨迹、感知环境线索并在生物化学和生物力学上与跟随细胞协调来支持癌症入侵。随着实验和计算模型以及分析技术的最新发展，文献中报道的前导细胞的特定特征和特征的范围正在迅速扩大。然而，尽管它们很重要，但对于领导细胞如何产生或其基本特征尚未达成共识。在这个视角下，我们提出了一个框架来定义领导细胞的基本方面，并对每个领导细胞亚型采用的不同细胞和分子程序提供统一的观点，以完成其功能。这种观点可以导致更有效的策略来阻止对转移能力的主要贡献者。