title: Training stem cells for treatment of malignant brain tumors.
abstract: The treatment of malignant brain tumors remains a challenge. Stem cell technology has been applied in the treatment of brain tumors largely because of the ability of some stem cells to infiltrate into regions within the brain where tumor cells migrate as shown in preclinical studies. However, not all of these efforts can translate in the effective treatment that improves the quality of life for patients. Here, we perform a literature review to identify the problems in the field. Given the lack of efficacy of most stem cell-based agents used in the treatment of malignant brain tumors, we found that stem cell distribution (i.e., only a fraction of stem cells applied capable of targeting tumors) are among the limiting factors. We provide guidelines for potential improvements in stem cell distribution. Specifically, we use an engineered tissue graft platform that replicates the in vivo microenvironment, and provide our data to validate that this culture platform is viable for producing stem cells that have better stem cell distribution than with the Petri dish culture system.
authors.affiliation: Shengwen Calvin Li, Mustafa H Kabeer, Long T Vu, Vic Keschrumrus, Brent A Dethlefs, William G Loudon, Neuro-Oncology and Stem Cell Research Laboratory, Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's Hospital of Orange County, University of California-Irvine, Orange, CA 92868, United States.
authors.forename: Shengwen Calvin
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Shengwen Calvin Li, Mustafa H Kabeer, Long T Vu, Vic Keschrumrus, Brent A Dethlefs, William G Loudon, Neuro-Oncology and Stem Cell Research Laboratory, Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's Hospital of Orange County, University of California-Irvine, Orange, CA 92868, United States.
authors.forename: Mustafa H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Kabeer
authors.affiliation: Shengwen Calvin Li, Mustafa H Kabeer, Long T Vu, Vic Keschrumrus, Brent A Dethlefs, William G Loudon, Neuro-Oncology and Stem Cell Research Laboratory, Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's Hospital of Orange County, University of California-Irvine, Orange, CA 92868, United States.
authors.forename: Long T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Vu
authors.affiliation: Shengwen Calvin Li, Mustafa H Kabeer, Long T Vu, Vic Keschrumrus, Brent A Dethlefs, William G Loudon, Neuro-Oncology and Stem Cell Research Laboratory, Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's Hospital of Orange County, University of California-Irvine, Orange, CA 92868, United States.
authors.forename: Vic
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Keschrumrus
authors.affiliation: Shengwen Calvin Li, Mustafa H Kabeer, Long T Vu, Vic Keschrumrus, Brent A Dethlefs, William G Loudon, Neuro-Oncology and Stem Cell Research Laboratory, Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's Hospital of Orange County, University of California-Irvine, Orange, CA 92868, United States.
authors.forename: Hong Zhen
authors.initials: HZ
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: Shengwen Calvin Li, Mustafa H Kabeer, Long T Vu, Vic Keschrumrus, Brent A Dethlefs, William G Loudon, Neuro-Oncology and Stem Cell Research Laboratory, Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's Hospital of Orange County, University of California-Irvine, Orange, CA 92868, United States.
authors.forename: Brent A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Dethlefs
authors.affiliation: Shengwen Calvin Li, Mustafa H Kabeer, Long T Vu, Vic Keschrumrus, Brent A Dethlefs, William G Loudon, Neuro-Oncology and Stem Cell Research Laboratory, Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's Hospital of Orange County, University of California-Irvine, Orange, CA 92868, United States.
authors.forename: Jiang F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.affiliation: Shengwen Calvin Li, Mustafa H Kabeer, Long T Vu, Vic Keschrumrus, Brent A Dethlefs, William G Loudon, Neuro-Oncology and Stem Cell Research Laboratory, Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's Hospital of Orange County, University of California-Irvine, Orange, CA 92868, United States.
authors.forename: John H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.affiliation: Shengwen Calvin Li, Mustafa H Kabeer, Long T Vu, Vic Keschrumrus, Brent A Dethlefs, William G Loudon, Neuro-Oncology and Stem Cell Research Laboratory, Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's Hospital of Orange County, University of California-Irvine, Orange, CA 92868, United States.
authors.forename: William G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Loudon
keywords: Engineered tissue graft; Malignant brain tumors; Organotypic slice model; Stem cells