Normal Stem Cells and Cancer Stem Cells: Similar and Different

The 2010 document "Normal stem cells and cancer stem cells: similar and different" discussed the similarities and differences between normal stem cells and cancer stem cells. The paper highlighted that both types of cells share a common interest in cell proliferation, particularly self-renewal, a characteristic of stem cells. The document also reviewed different models of cancer propagation, including the cancer stem cell model, the clonal evolution model, and the interconversion model. It emphasized that these models are not mutually exclusive. The paper also discussed the importance of maintaining genomic integrity in normal stem cells and tumorigenic cells, the ability of some normal tissue stem cells to interconvert between different functional states, and the process of cellular differentiation in both types of cells. The document concluded that a greater understanding of stem cells has led to the realization that deregulation of stem cell function plays a central role in the genesis of some cancers.