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Related Concept Videos

Cancer Stem Cells and Tumor Maintenance02:40

Cancer Stem Cells and Tumor Maintenance

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Early diagnosis and treatment can often cure cancer. However, even with treatment, residual cells called cancer stem cells (CSC) might remain, often causing tumor recurrence. These cancer stem cells possess the potential for self-renewal and multi-lineage differentiation and are often responsible for the therapeutic resistance displayed in most cancers.
Cancer stem cells are thought to originate from tissue-specific normal stem cells or progenitor cells. The normal stem cells usually reside in...
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Distinctive Features of Adult Stem Cells vs Cancer Stem Cells01:18

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A stem cell is an unspecialized cell that can divide without limit as needed and can, under specific conditions, differentiate into specialized cells.
Adult stem cells
Adult stem cells are tissue-specific; hence, they divide to develop the tissue from which they originate. One type of adult stem cell is the epithelial stem cell, which gives rise to the keratinocytes in the multiple layers of epithelial cells in the epidermis of the skin. Adult bone marrow has three distinct types of stem cells:...
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Stem cell therapy is a method used in regenerative medicine to repair and restore function to damaged tissues and organs. Stem cells have the potential to proliferate and differentiate into various tissue types, making them ideal candidates for tissue regeneration. For example, hematopoietic stem cell transplants are commonly used in blood cancer treatment to replenish damaged bone marrow and restore healthy blood cells.
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Cancer cells accumulate genetic changes at an abnormally rapid rate due to the defects in the DNA repair mechanisms. From an evolutionary perspective, such genetic instability is advantageous for cancer development. Mutant cell lines accumulate a series of beneficial mutations that contribute to their progression into cancer.
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Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are adult stem cells that can differentiate into most connective tissue cell types, except for hematopoietic cells, depending upon the source of MSCs. For example, bone-marrow-derived MSCs (BM-MSCs) can differentiate into osteocytes, hepatocytes, and pancreatic and neuronal cells. MSCs can be isolated from various sources such as bone marrow, placenta, adipose tissue, teeth, and Wharton’s jelly, a gelatinous substance in the umbilical cord. The ease of their...
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Studying Pancreatic Cancer Stem Cell Characteristics for Developing New Treatment Strategies
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Cancer Stem Cells: Basic Concepts and Therapeutic Implications.

Dany Nassar1, Cédric Blanpain1,2

  • 1IRIBHM, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels B-1070, Belgium;

Annual Review of Pathology
|May 20, 2016
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) drive tumor heterogeneity and relapse. This review explores CSC definition, regulation, plasticity, and therapeutic resistance mechanisms.

Keywords:
cancercancer stem cellsepithelial-to-mesenchymal transitionresistance to therapytumor heterogeneitytumor microenvironment

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Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Cancer Biology
  • Stem Cell Research

Background:

  • Intratumor heterogeneity arises from genetic mutations, microenvironment, and cancer stem cells (CSCs).
  • CSCs possess self-renewal capacity and can recapitulate primary tumor heterogeneity.
  • Understanding CSCs is crucial for addressing tumor evolution and treatment resistance.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the definition and functional assays for cancer stem cells (CSCs).
  • To explore intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms regulating CSC functions and plasticity.
  • To discuss the role of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in CSC properties and therapeutic resistance.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of current research on cancer stem cells.
  • Analysis of established and emerging assays for CSC identification and characterization.
  • Synthesis of data on regulatory mechanisms, plasticity, and therapeutic implications of CSCs.

Main Results:

  • CSCs are defined by their ability to initiate tumors and self-renew, recapitulating heterogeneity.
  • Various assays, including in vivo and in vitro methods, are used to identify and functionally assess CSCs.
  • CSC functions are modulated by intrinsic factors and extrinsic microenvironmental cues, with significant plasticity.

Conclusions:

  • Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a key mechanism conferring CSC properties.
  • CSCs exhibit resistance to conventional therapies, contributing to tumor relapse.
  • Targeting CSCs and their regulatory pathways holds promise for improving cancer treatment outcomes.