Identification and Isolation of Very SmaU Embryonic‐like Stem Cells from Murine and Human Specimens

Cancer Stem Cells - The Cutting Edge

“…Other malignant cells said to be malESCs are small cells (typically smaller than a red blood cell but larger than a platelet; see Konala et al, 2010), as well as very small embryonic-like stem cells (VSEL-SCs) or small embryonic-like stem cells (SELSCs) expressing "early stem cell markers" such as CXCR4 and CD4, and "signature ESC genes" such as NANOG, a member of the HEDGEHOG-GLI signaling cascade, CD133 (Zbinden et al, 2010), Oct-4, and SSEA-4 (see Zuba-Surma et al, 2010;Sharma & Krishan, 2010). Like embryonic cells, the small malignant cells are multi-potent, differentiating into a variety of tumors from "pediatric sarcomas (e.g., rhabdomyosarcoma, neuroblastoma, Ewing-sarcoma Wilm's tumor) … [to adult] malignancies (e.g., stomach cancer)" (see Kucia et al, 2007).…”