In the context of metastasis, keratins play a complex role. They are involved in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a process where epithelial cells lose their characteristics and gain migratory properties crucial for metastasis. During EMT, there is often a reorganization of the cytoskeleton, including a change in keratin expression. For example, the reduction of certain keratins can facilitate the increased motility and invasiveness of cancer cells, thus contributing to the spread of cancer to distant sites in the body.
