title: Self-renewal molecular mechanisms of colorectal cancer stem cells.
abstract: Colorectal cancer stem cells (CCSCs) represent a small fraction of the colorectal cancer cell population that possess self-renewal and multi-lineage differentiation potential and drive tumorigenicity. Self-renewal is essential for the malignant biological behaviors of colorectal cancer stem cells. While the self-renewal molecular mechanisms of colorectal cancer stem cells are not yet fully understood, the aberrant activation of signaling pathways, such as Wnt, Notch, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)/bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) and Hedgehog-Gli (HH-GLI), specific roles mediated by cell surface markers and micro-environmental factors are involved in the regulation of self-renewal. The elucidation of the molecular mechanisms behind self-renewal may lead to the development of novel targeted interventions for the treatment of colorectal cancer.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Gastroenterology, The Second Afﬁliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310009, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Tianhui
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, The Second Afﬁliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310009, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Jinghong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Gastroenterology, The Second Afﬁliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310009, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yongliang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000066673:Cell Self Renewal; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000473:pathology; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D059016:Tumor Microenvironment