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Cancer stem cell hypotheses: Impact on modern molecular physiology and pharmacology research

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Abstract

Although questioned on several occasions, the existence of cancer stem cells (CSCs) has been confirmed by a number of studies on experimental animal models. Nevertheless, it was shown that CSC hypotheses have several limitations and inconsistencies regarding the explanation of CSC origin, CSC identification and isolation, possible heterogeneity within CSC population, as well as methodology issues in some studies that were carried out in order to prove CSC existence. The aim of this article is to give a short and comprehensive review of recent advances concerning CSC hypothesis and to describe its impact on modern molecular physiology and pharmacology research.

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Abbreviations

ALDH:

aldehyde dehydrogenase

AML:

acute myeloid leukaemia

CE:

clonal evolution

CSC:

cancer stem cell

IL8:

interleukin 8

LIF:

leukaemia inhibitory factor

PTL:

parthenolide

SCID:

severe combined immune-deficient

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Acknowledgements

The author is grateful to The Ministry of Education and Science, Republic of Serbia, Research Projects 175059 and 41027.

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  1. University of Belgrade, School of Medicine, Institute of Medical Physiology, Visegradska 26/2, 11000, Belgrade, Serbia

    Igor Pantic

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  1. Igor Pantic
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Correspondence to Igor Pantic.

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[Pantic I 2011 Cancer stem cell hypotheses: Impact on modern molecular physiology and pharmacology research. J. Biosci. 36 1–5] DOI

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Pantic, I. Cancer stem cell hypotheses: Impact on modern molecular physiology and pharmacology research. J Biosci 36, 957–961 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12038-011-9155-5

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