title: Cell-of-Origin of Cancer versus Cancer Stem Cells: Assays and Interpretations.
abstract: A tumor originates from a normal cell that has undergone tumorigenic transformation as a result of genetic mutations. This transformed cell is the cell-of-origin for the tumor. In contrast, an established clinical tumor is sustained by subpopulations of self-renewing cancer cells operationally called cancer stem cells (CSC) that can generate, intraclonally, both tumorigenic and nontumorigenic cells. Identifying and characterizing tumor cell-of-origin and CSCs should help elucidate tumor cell heterogeneity, which, in turn, should help understand tumor cell responses to clinical treatments, drug resistance, tumor relapse, and metastatic spread. Both tumor transplantation and lineage-tracing assays have been helpful in characterizing these cancer cell populations, although each system has its strengths and caveats. In this article, we briefly review and summarize advantages and limitations of both assays in support of a combinatorial approach to accurately define the roles of both cancer-initiating and cancer-propagating cells. As an aside, we also wish to clarify the definitions of cancer cell-of-origin and CSCs, which are often interchangeably used by mistake.
authors: Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Smithville, Texas.
authors: Kiera
authors: K
authors: Rycaj
authors: Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Smithville, Texas. Cancer Stem Cell Institute, Research Center for Translational Medicine, East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China. dtang@mdanderson.org.
authors: Dean G
authors: DG
authors: Tang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019070:Cell Lineage; D000066673:Cell Self Renewal; D002469:Cell Separation; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics; D017690:Cell Transplantation; D002999:Clone Cells / Q000473:pathology; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000473:pathology; D064593:Heterografts / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D016688:Mice, Inbred NOD; D008819:Mice, Nude; D016513:Mice, SCID; D008954:Models, Biological; D009154:Mutation; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000637:transplantation; D009928:Organ Specificity; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous