Semaphorins at the Interface of Development and Cancer

Semaphorins (Semas), a family of evolutionarily conserved secreted and transmembrane proteins, were initially identified as axon guidance regulators and have since been implicated in the development of a number of other tissues. Sema signaling also regulates a variety of processes that are linked to cancer (i.e. metastasis, cell migration, cell growth). The mechanisms by which Sema signaling regulates axonogenesis and tumorigenesis are strikingly similar, making advances in either field applicable to the alternate discipline. Here, recent advances in understanding the roles of Semas in development and cancer, as well as the therapeutic potential for targeting this signaling pathway in human cancers, are reviewed.