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Review
. 2019 Sep;234(9):14759-14772.
doi: 10.1002/jcp.28271. Epub 2019 Feb 11.

Current approaches in identification and isolation of cancer stem cells

Maryam Akbarzadeh  1   2 , Nazila Fathi Maroufi  2   3 , Abbas Pirpour Tazehkand  2 , Moloud Akbarzadeh  1   4 , Sepideh Bastani  1 , Reza Safdari  5 , Ali Farzane  5 , Amir Fattahi  2   6 , Hamid Reza Nejabati  2   7 , Mohammad Nouri  1   2 , Nasser Samadi  2
Affiliations
Review

Current approaches in identification and isolation of cancer stem cells

Maryam Akbarzadeh et al. J Cell Physiol. 2019 Sep.

Abstract

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are tumor cells with initiating ability, self-renewal potential, and intrinsic resistance to conventional therapeutics. Efficient isolation and characterization of CSCs pave the way for more comprehensive knowledge about tumorigenesis, heterogeneity, and chemoresistance. Also a better understanding of CSCs will lead to novel era of both basic and clinical cancer research, reclassification of human tumors, and development of innovative therapeutic strategies. Finding novel diagnostic and effective therapeutic strategies also enhance the success of treatment in cancer patients. There are various methods based on the characteristics of the CSCs to detect and isolate these cells, some of which have recently developed. This review summarized current techniques for effective isolation and characterization of CSCs with a focus on advantages and limitations of each method with clinical applications.

Keywords: aldehyde dehydrogenase; cancer stem cell; side population; spheroid formation assay; surface marker.

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References

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