Stem Cells And Cancer Stem Cells Volume 6

The difference among pluripotent stem cells, multipotent stem cells, and unipotent stem cells is pointed out. Vast therapeutic applications of the following specific stem cells in disease and tissue injury are discussed: human embryonic stem cells, human mesenchymal stem cells, germ cell-derived pluripotent stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells, human umbilical cord blood-derived stem cells, breast tumor stem cells,and hematopoietic stem cells. Because of the potential of human embryonic stem cells to produce unlimited quantities of any human cell type, considerable focus is placed on their therapeutic potential. Because of their pluripotency, these cells have been used in various applications such as tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, pharmacological and toxicological studies, and fundamental studies of cell differentiation. The formation of embryoid bodies, which are three-dimensional aggregates of embryonic stem cells, is explained as this is the first step in cell differentiation. Such embryoid body culture has been widely used as a trigger for the in vitro differentiation of embryonic stem cells. The basic capacity of self-renewal of human embryogenic stem cells is explained. The role of TGF-beta in the propagation of human embryonic stem cells is discussed. The differentiation of human embryonic stem cells into neurons, hepatocytes, cardiomyocytes, and retinal cells is fully explained. Donor policies for hematopoietic stem cells are also explained.

Difference between tissue specific stem cells and embryonic stem cells is explained. The advantages of the latter are included. The application of human pluripotent stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells, and hematopoietic stem cells in cancer therapy and tissue/organ regeneration is detailed. Role of neural cancer stem cells in brain tumors, including their role in brain tumor therapy and the role of CD133 stem cell antigen in glioma patients, is emphasized. Therapeutic role of bone marrow-derived stem cells in myocardial infarction and the role of mesenchymal stem cells in orthopedics are explained. Transplantation of umbilical cord hematopoietic stem cells and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation followed by graft-versus-host disease are presented. Role of cancer stem cells specifically in glioblastoma and medulloblastoma is included. It is also emphasized that CD133 is an appropriate stem cell marker for gliomas. Targeting of cancer cells is also explained.

It is pointed out that cancer stem cell is a cell type within a tumor that possesses the capacity of cell-renewal and can give rise to the heterogeneous lineages of cancer cells that comprise the tumor. It is emphasized that a cancer stem cell is a tumor initiating cell. That conventional chemotherapy kills most cells in a tumor, but cancer stem cells remain intact is discussed. Vast applications of stem cells, cancer stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells, and human pluripotent stem cells are discussed. Because human embryonic stem cells possess the potential of producing unlimited quantities of any human cell type, considerable focus is placed on their therapeutic potential in this volume. Because of the pluripotency of embryonic stem cells, this volume discusses various applications such as tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, pharmacological and toxicological uses. The role of these cells in cell differentiation is also included. The role of cancer stem cells of breast, colon, and melanoma tumors in response to antitumor therapy is detailed. The role of cancer stem cells, specifically in the deadliest brain cancer, glioblastoma multiforme, is explained. Transplantation of bone marrow-derived stem cells for myocardial infarcation and use of mesenchymal stem cells in orthopedics are described.

It is pointed out that a cancer stem cell is a type within a tumor that possesses the capacity of self-renewal and can give rise to the heterogeneous lineages of cancer cells, which comprise the tumor. It is emphasized that a unique feature of cancer stem cells is that, although conventional chemotherapy kills most cells in a tumor, cancer stem cells remain intact. Vast applications of the following specific stem cells in disease and tissue injury are discussed: embryonic stem cells, human mesenchymal stem cells, cancer stem cells, arterial stem cells, neural stem cells, cardiac stem cells, dental stem cells, limbal stem cells, and hematopoietic stem cells. Because human embryonic stem cells possess the potential to produce unlimited quantities of any human cell type, considerable focus is placed on their therapeutic potential in this volume. These cells are used in tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, pharmacological and toxicological studies, and fundamental studies of cell differentiation. It is pointed out that the formation of embryoid bodies, which are three-dimensional aggregates of embryonic cells, is the initial step in the differentiation of these cells. Therapeutic implications of signalling pathways in cancer stem cells are pointed out. Targeting self-renewal pathways in cancer stem cells are also included. Application of mesenchymal stem cells for treating ischemic brain injury is explained. Neural stem cells proliferation into the surrounding area of the traumatic brain injury is explained.

It is my hope that subsequent volumes of the series will join this volume in assisting in the more complete understanding of the causes, diagnosis, and cell-based treatment of major human diseases and debilitating tissue/organ injuries. There exists a tremendous, urgent demand by the public and the scientific community to address to cancer diagnosis, treatment, cure, and hopefully prevention. Stem Cells are nature’s indispensable gift to multicellular organisms, including humans. The contents of the volume are divided into six subheadings: Stem Cell Culture, Bone Marrow Stem Cells, Mesenchymal Stem Cells, Reprogramming and Differentiation of Stem Cells, Treatment, and Transplantation for the convenience of the readers.

As in volume 1 of this series, this volume presents information on stem cells and cancer stem cells; Therapeutic Applications in disease and tissue/organ injury. Methodologies of regenerative medicine and tissue engineering are major components of this volume. Specific stem cells discussed are: human embryonic stem cells, hematopoietic stem cells, cord blood stem cells, human pluripotent stem cells, gliosarcoma stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells, intestinal stem cells, human thyroid cancer stem cells, tumor stem cells, menstrual stem-like cells, neural stem cells, breast cancer stem cells, allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells, fetal membrane-derived mesemchynmal stem cells, and omental stem cells. The method for isolating bone marrow stromal cells is explained. Method for generating marmoset-induced pluripotent stem cells, using transcription factors, is also explained. Use of stem cell lines in therapeutic applications is discussed. Programming of stem cells is described. Methods for transplantation of stem cells are presented. Use of various types of stem cells for conditions such as stroke, ischemia, heart diseases, Alzhemier’s disease, and neurogenerative diseases in general, is explained. For example, generation of human cardiac muscle cells from adipose-derived stem cells is included. Another example is repairing bone defects using mesenchymal stem cells and mesenchymal-derived endothelial cells. Differentiation of new neurons from neural stem cells is described. Method for repairing retina condition using human embryonic stem cells is explained; these cells can induce neural differentiation. Treatment of graft-versus-host disease resulting from hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is elaborated.

Cancer Stem Cells, Volume 141 in the Advances in Cancer Research series, presents the latest release in this ongoing, well-regarded serial that provides invaluable information on the exciting and fast-moving field of cancer research. Topics covered in this new release include SIX-EYA-DACH network control of cancer stem cell properties, Dormancy and the cancer cell niche, Clonal hematopoiesis: A hematopoietic stem cell disorder of aging, Stringent assays to study human breast cancer stem cells, Regulation of breast cancer stem cell specification and maintenance by hypoxia-inducible factors, Cancer stem cells in breast and prostate: fact or fiction, and much more. Provides information on cancer research Offers outstanding and original reviews on a range of cancer research topics, with this release focusing on cancer stem cells Serves as an indispensable reference for researchers and students alike

Vast therapeutic applications of the following specific stem cells in disease and tissue injury are discussed: embryonic stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells, human hair follicle stem cells, bone marrow-derived human mesenchymal stem cells, adipose-derived stem cells, periodontal/progenitor cells, cancer stem cells, and breast cancer stem cells. Because human embryonic stem cells possess the potential to produce unlimited quantities of any human cell type, considerable focus is placed on this type of stem cells in this volume. The role of cancer stem cells, specifically in breast cancer is explained. Transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells to aid the injured brain is included. Immune recovery after stem cells transplantation in severe combined immunodeficiency patients is described. The role of mesenchymal stem cells in enhancing the growth and metastasis of colon cancer is discussed. Clinical application of human follicle stem cells is presented. Treatment of malignant gliomas using genetically-modified neural stem cells as a marker is discussed. The impact of cancer stem cell hypothesis on designing new cancer therapies is explained. In the field of regenerative medicine, the use of stem cells in the repair of the central nervous system, tendon injury, and as a cardiac regenerative medicine is described. The role of DNA methylation in maintaining stemness induced pluripotent stem cells from human extraembryonic amnion cells is discussed. Insights on the understanding of molecular pathways involved in tumor biology are explained, which lead to the development of effective drugs. Information on pathways, such as hedgehog, facilitates targeted therapies in cancer.