An overview of cancer stem cell

Abstract

Stem cells are determined as cells with the capability to perpetuate themselves through self- renewal and to produce mature cells of a special tissue through differentiation. Due to the tremendous clinical and biological significance of cancer stem cells (CSCs), research related to these cells is rapidly evolving. Although a series of hypotheses have been proposed about the origin of CSCs, their origin is yet to be discovered. CSCs play a critical role in cancer creation, evolution, metastasis, and recurrence. The existence of CSCs is deeply applied in cancer therapy, since they have a collection of markers for detection and determination. This article reviews the characteristics of CSCs in terms of their origin, their application in CSCs and cancer therapy, and their isolation techniques.