Isolation of stem cells using spheroids from fresh surgical specimen: an analytic mini-review

It is a commonly held belief that adult stem cells represent the "seeds" for normal cellular replenishment and also for carcinogenesis. The identification and characterization of stem cells for clinical therapeutic applications, however, is extremely challenging for a number of reasons. Recently, our group and others have attempted to isolate stem cells using spheroids from fresh surgical specimens and utilize them for in vitro and in vivo studies. This mini-review summarizes the major technical steps of these methods along with the primary findings. Besides, it critically analyzes the advantages and limitations of the concept and technical approaches. Finally, this mini-review presents our thoughts on the potential future directions of stem cell isolation and cancer stem cell-related research and clinical applications.