Bony endothelium: tumor-mediated transdifferentiation?
In this issue of Cancer Cell, Dudley et al. (2008) report that endothelial cells (ECs) from murine prostate tumors unexpectedly differentiate into cells with characteristics of bone and cartilage and that human and murine prostate tumors contain "calcified" ECs. These observations open the possibility for targeted antiangiogenic therapy.
Verfaillie
Catherine M
CM
Interdepartmenteel Stamcelinstituut, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Onderwijs & Navorsing 1, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. catherine.verfaillie@med.kuleuven.be
D000818:Animals; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D054337:Cell Dedifferentiation; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D054338:Cell Transdifferentiation; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008954:Models, Biological; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000473:pathology; D010011:Osteocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*
D000954:Antigens, Surface