Mechanisms that mediate stem cell self-renewal and differentiation

✍ Scribed by Haojian Zhang; Zack Z. Wang

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2008
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 182 KB
• Volume: 103
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0730-2312
• DOI: 10.1002/jcb.21460

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Stem cells have two common properties: the capacity for self‐renewal and the potential to differentiate into one or more specialized cell types. In general, stem cells can be divided into two broad categories: adult (somatic) stem cells and embryonic stem cells. Recent evidence suggested that tumors may contain “cancer stem cells” with indefinite potential for self‐renewal. In this review, we will focus on the molecular mechanisms regulating embryonic stem cell self‐renewal and differentiation, and discuss how these mechanisms may be relevant in cancer cells. J. Cell. Biochem. 103: 709–718, 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.