Neuronal Activity in Ontogeny and Oncology
Humsa Venkatesh1, Michelle Monje2
1Department of Neurology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Cancer Biology Graduate Program, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
Trends in Cancer
|July 19, 2017
Summary
Neural regulation impacts both stem cell niches and cancer microenvironments. Understanding these nervous system influences is key to development and cancer research.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Oncology
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- The nervous system is crucial for regulating stem cell niches, influencing organ development, homeostasis, and plasticity.
- Emerging evidence highlights a significant role for neural regulation within the cancer microenvironment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the current understanding of how active neurons influence stem cell and cancer microenvironments across various tissues.
- To discuss emerging principles governing neural regulation in both development and cancer.
Main Methods:
- Literature review synthesizing existing research on neural modulation of stem cell niches.
- Analysis of studies investigating neural influences on diverse cancer types (brain, skin, prostate, pancreas, stomach).
- Comparative analysis of shared mechanisms between developmental processes and cancer progression.
Main Results:
- Neurons actively promote the growth of several major cancer types.
- Shared mechanisms between development and cancer suggest neural modulation is a universal theme in tumorigenesis.
- Mechanistic details of neural modulation in many malignancies require further investigation.
Conclusions:
- Neural regulation is a fundamental factor in both physiological stem cell niches and pathological cancer microenvironments.
- Further research into the specific mechanisms of neural modulation is essential for understanding and treating various cancers.
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