ReviewMesenchymal stem cells, cancer challenges and new directions
Section snippets
Stem cells
Stem cells are defined as unspecialised cells with theoretically indefinite capacity for proliferation and differentiation into various cell types. During their proliferation stem cells either divide to produce two daughter cells that are identical to the mother cell (symmetric division) or one cell that is identical to the mother cell and another cell which is more differentiated (asymmetric division). Both of the daughter cells can further divide and differentiate (Fig. 1).
Classification of
The therapeutic potential of stem cells
One of the main therapeutic applications of human stem cells is the generation of cells and tissues that can be used for organ regeneration. Today, donated organs and tissues are often used to replace damaged tissue, but the need for transplantable tissues and organs far outweighs the available supply. Stem cells, directed to differentiate into specific cell types, are an alternative to donated organs by offering a renewable cell source of replacement of cells and tissues.
The stem cell field
Concluding remarks
The conventional treatments for cancers, albeit valuable, are faced with many problems. These problems include specificity, toxicity and development of resistance to therapeutic agents – intrinsic or acquired. Use of MSCs and their tumour homing ability will not only address the specificity issue of cancer treatment but will also allow for the delivery of more potent and more tailored treatments (Fig. 2B). The use of MSCs will also be of value when resistance is an issue, as they can be used to
Conflict of interest statement
None declared.
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2021, Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - Reviews on CancerCitation Excerpt :Several studies revealed that MSCs demonstrate anti-tumor activities. Evidence from experimental studies show that MSCs possess strong tumor tropism and migrate to primary or metastatic cancers after systemic infusion [12–14]. In recent years, an increasing number of experimental studies focused on evaluating MSCs' effectiveness in glioblastoma treatment, showing mixed results [15–18].
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