title: Isolation and characterization of stem cells from human central nervous system malignancies.
abstract: Central Nervous System (CNS) tumors include some of the most invasive and lethal tumors in humans. The poor prognosis in patients with CNS tumors is ascribed to their invasive nature. After the description of a stem cell-like cohort in hematopoietic cancers, tumor stem cells (TSCs) have been isolated from a variety of solid tumors, including brain tumors. Further research has uncovered the crucial role these cells play in the initiation and propagation of brain tumors. More importantly, TSCs have also been shown to be relatively resistant to conventional cytotoxic therapeutics, which may also account for the alarmingly high rate of CNS tumor recurrence. In order to elucidate prospective therapeutic targets it is imperative to study these cells in detail and to accomplish this, we need to be able to reliably isolate and characterize these cells. This chapter will therefore, provide an overview of the methods used to isolate and characterize stem cells from human CNS malignancies.
authors.affiliation: Section of Neurosurgery, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, USA.
authors.forename: Imad Saeed
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Moneeb
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ehtesham
mesh_terms: D000080924:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 1 Family; D000818:Animals; D001562:Benzimidazoles / Q000737:chemistry; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D002469:Cell Separation / Q000379:methods; D016543:Central Nervous System Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000737:chemistry; D057075:Enzyme Assays / Q000379:methods; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000378:metabolism; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D058953:Neural Stem Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D050697:Retinal Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D013057:Spectrum Analysis / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D001562:Benzimidazoles; D004396:Coloring Agents; D007527:Isoenzymes; D000080924:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 1 Family; C510223:ALDH1A1 protein, human; D050697:Retinal Dehydrogenase; C017807:bisbenzimide ethoxide trihydrochloride