Epithelial—mesenchymal transformation（EMT） can be viewed as the loss of original epithelium cell characteristic, such as loss of polarity, loss of epithelial markers, cytoskeletal reorganization, and transition to a spindle- shaped morphology concomitant with acquisition of mesenchymal markers（including α-smooth muscle actin） and an invasive phenotype. EMT plays an important role in the invasion and metastasis of cancer. This article reviews the important inducers of signaling pathways in EMT and highlights recent advances in the studies of signaling pathways in EMT in oral squamous cell carcinoma.
