Cancer stem cells--the current status of an old concept: literature review and clinical approaches.
As regards their morphology and biology, tumours consist of heterogeneous cell populations. The cancer stem cell (CSC) hypothesis assumes that a tumour is hierarchically organized and not all of the cells are equally capable of generating descendants, similarly to normal tissue. The only cells being able to self-renew and produce a heterogeneous tumour cell population are cancer stem cells. CSCs probably derive from normal stem cells, although progenitor cells may be taken into consideration as the source of cancer stem cells. CSCs reside in the niche defined as the microenvironment formed by stromal cells, vasculature and extracellular matrix. The CSC assays include FACS sorting, xenotransplantation to immunodeficient mice (SCID), incubation with Hoechst 33342 dye, cell culture in non-adherent conditions, cell culture with bromodeoxyuridine. CSCs have certain properties that make them resistant to anticancer therapy, which suggests they may be the target for potential therapeutic strategies.
Department of Pathomorphology and Oncological Cytology, Wroclaw Medical University, ul. Borowska 213, Wroclaw, 50-556, Poland. lukasz.fulawka@gmail.com.|Department of Pathomorphology, Lower Silesian Oncology Centre, pl. Hirszfelda 12, Wroclaw, 53-413, Poland. lukasz.fulawka@gmail.com.
Lukasz
L
Fulawka
Department of Pathomorphology and Oncological Cytology, Wroclaw Medical University, ul. Borowska 213, Wroclaw, 50-556, Poland. piotrdonizy@wp.pl.
Piotr
P
Donizy
Department of Pathomorphology and Oncological Cytology, Wroclaw Medical University, ul. Borowska 213, Wroclaw, 50-556, Poland. ahalon2@gmail.com.
Agnieszka
A
Halon
D000818:Animals; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000627:therapeutic use; D063646:Carcinogenesis / Q000473:pathology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D000066673:Cell Self Renewal / Q000502:physiology*; D060965:Clonal Evolution / Q000502:physiology; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / Q000502:physiology*; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000473:pathology; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D016513:Mice, SCID; D055806:Microvessels / Q000503:physiopathology; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000473:pathology; D059016:Tumor Microenvironment / Q000502:physiology*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes