Terry SaulKris HennigBISC 103 Current Events Essay

Brian Tumors and Stem Cells by Thomas Palm

Recent studies of tumor masses have shown that not all cancer cells are the same, and that only a few actually have the ability of extended proliferation, the ability to grow new tumors. These have mostly been isolated to leukemia and solid tumors. They are formed with the ability to trigger malignant growth and cell differentiation. Further studies show that these cells have many phenotypic and molecular features with neural stem cells. Therefore many have designated them as cancer stem cells. In fact many surgeries have only been successful when these “cancer” stem cells have been present in the injections. However, only some of these CSCs have been positively market some specific ones like CD113 and some negatively market glimoblastoma cells were also isolated and had the similar stemness characteristics.