title: Stem cell plasticity: a rare cell, not a rare event.
abstract: Purification to homogeneity for a rare stem cell (SC) population by both function and phenotype is a prerequisite to determine if SCs can change their fate (plasticity). Since cell fate determination has been suggested by both external environmental cues and intrinsic gene regulation, plasticity should be studied using both influences. Different frequencies of marrow SC plasticity may be attributed to either different isolation technologies or different developmental stage SCs with more or less multipotentiality. Tissue-specific SCs may reside in marrow, or alternatively, primitive marrow SC may respond directly to regenerative signals by migration to injury sites and repairing the damaged tissue. It is important to dissect the relationship between primitive/tissue-specific SCs and regenerative signals.
authors.affiliation: Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA.
authors.forename: Yoon-Young
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Saul J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Sharkis
mesh_terms: D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002459:Cell Fusion; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D005819:Genetic Markers; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D014019:Tissue Donors
chemical_list: D005819:Genetic Markers; D012333:RNA, Messenger