Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Cancer stem cells are a kind of seed cells with self-renewal capacity and uncertain differentiation potential, and can differentiate into tumor cells to different extents, which are the root cause of continued growth, metastasis and recurrence of malignant tumors which cannot be completely killed by traditional chemotherapy.
OBJECTIVE: To review the isolation, culture and biological characteristics of cancer stem cells.
METHODS: A computer retrieve of Wanfang database (1990-01/2010-12) was conducted for articles regarding the isolation, culture and biological characteristics of cancer stem cells using the keywords of “cancer stem cells, isolation and culture, biological characteristics” in Chinese. Repetitive articles, reviews and Meta analyses were excluded, and finally 22 of 45 articles were included in result analysis.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: CD133 is regarded as a specific marker of cancer stem cells in various organ tumors, including lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, colon cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, nervous system tumors. Nestin, vimentin, and CD117 express in cancer stem cells of the nervous system. Expressions of CD44 and endothelin-converting enzyme in lung cancer stem cells are of significance. CD44 and CD24 can be used as cancer stem cell surface markers for sorting human pancreatic cancer cell line PANC-1. CD166 has a high expression in colorectal cancer stem cells.