Molecular pathology underlying the robustness of cancer stem cells.

摘要: Intratumoral heterogeneity is tightly associated with the failure of anticancer treatment modalities including conventional chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and molecularly targeted therapy. Such generated in an evolutionary manner not only as a result genetic alterations but also by presence cancer stem cells (CSCs). CSCs are proposed to exist at top tumor cell hierarchy undifferentiated that manifest enhanced tumorigenic metastatic potential, self-renewal capacity, therapeutic resistance. Properties contribute robustness include abilities withstand redox stress, rapidly repair damaged DNA, adapt hyperinflammatory or hyponutritious microenvironment, expel drugs action ATP-binding cassette transporters well plasticity regard transition between dormant CSC transit-amplifying progenitor phenotypes. In addition, phenomenon metabolic reprogramming, which essential for maintenance their potential ability changes microenvironment. Elucidation molecular underpinnings these biological features key development novel therapies. this review, we highlight pathological relevance terms hallmarks identification, properties niche-both primary tumors sites metastasis-and resistance oxidative stress dependent on system xc (-).