Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 13, 2026

Studying Pancreatic Cancer Stem Cell Characteristics for Developing New Treatment Strategies
Published on: June 20, 2015
Stem cells in cancer therapy: From their role in pathogenesis to their use as therapeutic agents
Pierpaolo Aimola1, Vincenzo Desiderio, Antonio Graziano
1Department of Biochemistry & Microbiology and the Department of Surgery, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, West Virginia, USA; Department of Basic and Applied Biology, University of L'Aquila, Italy. claudiop@marshall.edu.
Abstract:
Advances in the understanding of the intriguing properties of stem cells are prompting the development of new therapeutic approaches in oncology. Stemness is a crucial condition for the homeostasis of the human body. Nevertheless, pathways that regulate self-renewal and cell fate of normal stem cells, such as Wnt and hedgehog, are also involved in the regulation of cancer stem cells and tumor growth and progression, and may thus represent novel therapeutic targets in cancer treatment. In addition, the ability of stem cells to self-renew, migrate to tumor sites and differentiate into multiple cell types makes them perfect candidates for being used as tools for delivering therapeutic genes and proteins and as drug vectors to eliminate malignant cells.
Related Concept Videos
Stem Cell Therapy for Tissue Regeneration
Types of Stem Cells used in Stem Cell Therapy
The two main cell types that...
Cancer Stem Cells and Tumor Maintenance
Cancer stem cells are thought to originate from tissue-specific normal stem cells or progenitor cells. The normal stem cells usually reside in...
Cancer Stem Cells and Tumor Maintenance
Cancer stem cells are thought to originate from tissue-specific normal stem cells or progenitor cells. The normal stem cells usually reside in...
Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Stem Cell Culture
Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
Somatic cells are...

