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The cancer stem cell niche: how essential is the niche in regulating stemness of tumor cells?

ABSTRACT: Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are tumor cells that have the principal properties of self-renewal, clonal tumor initiation capacity, and clonal long-term repopulation potential. CSCs reside in niches, which are anatomically distinct regions within the tumor microenvironment. These niches maintain the principle properties of CSCs, preserve their phenotypic plasticity, protect them from the immune system, and facilitate their metastatic potential. In this perspective, we focus on the CSC niche and discuss its contribution to tumor initiation and progression. Since CSCs survive many commonly employed cancer therapies, we examine the prospects of targeting the niche components as preferable therapeutic targets.

SUBMITTER: Plaks V

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4355577 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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The cancer stem cell niche: how essential is the niche in regulating stemness of tumor cells?

Plaks Vicki V Kong Niwen N Werb Zena Z

Cell stem cell 20150301 3

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are tumor cells that have the principal properties of self-renewal, clonal tumor initiation capacity, and clonal long-term repopulation potential. CSCs reside in niches, which are anatomically distinct regions within the tumor microenvironment. These niches maintain the principle properties of CSCs, preserve their phenotypic plasticity, protect them from the immune system, and facilitate their metastatic potential. In this perspective, we focus on the CSC niche and discu ...[more]

PMID: 25748930

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