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Updated: Mar 12, 2026

Phospholipid Mediator Induced Transformation in Three-Dimensional Cultures
Published on: July 27, 2022
Under Pressure: When a Transformed Environment Pushes Cells to Malignancy.
María García-Fernández1, Simón Méndez-Ferrer1
1Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Cambridge Stem Cell Institute and Department of Haematology, University of Cambridge, and National Health Service Blood and Transplant, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, CB2 0PT Cambridge, UK.
Mutated mesenchymal stem/progenitor cells (MSPCs) can drive cancer development. This study reveals how these altered cells transform healthy hematopoietic cells, promoting a malignant-prone state and contributing to oncogenesis.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Stem Cell Biology
- Hematopoiesis
Background:
- Mesenchymal stem/progenitor cells (MSPCs) play a role in cancer development.
- The precise mechanisms by which MSPCs influence oncogenesis are under investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the mechanism by which mutated MSPCs contribute to oncogenesis.
- To understand how altered MSPCs transform hematopoietic cells.
Main Methods:
- The study by Zambetti et al. (2016) proposes a novel mechanism.
- Investigated the transformation of hematopoietic cells by mutated MSPCs.
Main Results:
- Mutated MSPCs can induce a malignant-prone state in hematopoietic cells.
- This transformation is a key step in oncogenesis.
Conclusions:
- MSPCs are critical players in cancer initiation and progression.
- Understanding this mechanism offers potential therapeutic targets for cancer treatment.
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