Unravelling cancer stem cell potential

B Beck, C Blanpain - Nature Reviews Cancer, 2013 - nature.com
B Beck, C Blanpain
Nature Reviews Cancer, 2013nature.com
The maintenance and repair of many adult tissues are ensured by stem cells (SCs), which
reside at the top of the cellular hierarchy of these tissues. Functional assays, such as in vitro
clonogenic assays, transplantation and in vivo lineage tracing, have been used to assess
the renewing and differentiation potential of normal SCs. Similar strategies have suggested
that solid tumours may also be hierarchically organized and contain cancer SCs (CSCs) that
sustain tumour growth and relapse after therapy. In this Opinion article, we discuss the …
Abstract
The maintenance and repair of many adult tissues are ensured by stem cells (SCs), which reside at the top of the cellular hierarchy of these tissues. Functional assays, such as in vitro clonogenic assays, transplantation and in vivo lineage tracing, have been used to assess the renewing and differentiation potential of normal SCs. Similar strategies have suggested that solid tumours may also be hierarchically organized and contain cancer SCs (CSCs) that sustain tumour growth and relapse after therapy. In this Opinion article, we discuss the different parallels that can be drawn between adult SCs and CSCs in solid tumours.
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