Principles of Stem Cell Biology and Cancer: Future Applications and Therapeutics Tarik Regad, The John van Geest Cancer Research Centre, Nottingham Trent University, UK, Thomas J. Sayers, Centre for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, USA and Robert Rees The John van Geest Cancer Research Centre, Nottingham Trent University, UK The field of cancer stem cells is expanding rapidly, with many groups focusing on isolating and identifying cancer stem cell populations. Although some progress has been made developing efficient cancer therapies, targeting cancer stem cells remains one of the important challenges facing the growing stem cell research community. Principles of Stem Cell Biology and Cancer brings together original contributions from international experts in the field to present the very latest information linking stem cell biology and cancer. Divided into two parts, the book begins with a detailed introduction to stem cell biology with a focus on the characterization of these cells, progress that has been made in their identification, as well as future therapeutic applications of stem cells. The second part focuses on cancer stem cells and their role in cancer development, progression and chemo-resistance. This section of the book includes an overview of recent progress concerning therapies targeting cancer stem cells. Features: An authoritative introduction to the link between stem cell biology and cancer. Includes contributions from leading international experts in the field. Well-illustrated with full colour figures throughout. This book will prove an invaluable resource for basic and applied researchers and clinicians working on the development of new cancer treatments and therapies, providing a timely publication of high quality reviews outlining the current progress and exciting future possibilities for stem cell research.

Because the concept and discoveries of cancer stem cells are relatively new, scientists and researchers need an introduction to this dynamic area. Cancer Stem Cells presents a consolidated account of the research done to date and recent progresses in the studies of cancer stem cells. Such a presentation facilitates a better understanding of and draws attention to stem cell and cancer biology - two fields that enhance, move, and evolve into each other continuously. It provides an informative study in designing approaches to apply stem cell principles to cancer biology while offering an overview of the challenges in developing combination stem and cancer biology targets for therapeutics. This book serves as a primer for new researchers in the field of cancer biology.

Stem Cell Biology in Health and Disease presents an up-to-date overview about the dual role of stem cells in health and disease. The Editors have drawn together an international team of experts providing chapters which, in this fully-illustrated volume, discuss: - the controversial debate on the great expectations concerning stem cell based regeneration therapies raised by the pluripotency of various stem cells. - the advantages and concerns about embryonic stem cells (ES cells), induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells) and adult stem cells, such as bone marrow-derived stem cells (BMDCs). - the type of stem cells, which has become of interest in the past decade, namely so-called cancer stem cells (CSCs). CSCs are now in the focus of cancer research since the eradication of tumour initiating cells would raise the changes of definitely cure cancer. Professor Dittmar and Professor Zänker have edited a must-read book for researchers and professionals working in the field of regenerative medicine and/or cancer.

Defined as, “The science about the development of an embryo from the fertilization of the ovum to the fetus stage,” embryology has been a mainstay at universities throughout the world for many years. Throughout the last century, embryology became overshadowed by experimental-based genetics and cell biology, transforming the field into developmental biology, which replaced embryology in Biology departments in many universities. Major contributions in this young century in the fields of molecular biology, biochemistry and genomics were integrated with both embryology and developmental biology to provide an understanding of the molecular portrait of a “development cell.” That new integrated approach is known as stem-cell biology; it is an understanding of the embryology and development together at the molecular level using engineering, imaging and cell culture principles, and it is at the heart of this seminal book. Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine: From Molecular Embryology to Tissue Engineering is completely devoted to the basic developmental, cellular and molecular biological aspects of stem cells as well as their clinical applications in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. It focuses on the basic biology of embryonic and cancer cells plus their key involvement in self-renewal, muscle repair, epigenetic processes, and therapeutic applications. In addition, it covers other key relevant topics such as nuclear reprogramming induced pluripotency and stem cell culture techniques using novel biomaterials. A thorough introduction to stem-cell biology, this reference is aimed at graduate students, post-docs, and professors as well as executives and scientists in biotech and pharmaceutical companies.

In recent years, cancer stem cells have been recognized as important component in carcinogenesis and they seem to form the basis of many (if not all) tumor types. Cancer stem cells or "cancer cell like stem cells" have been isolated from various cancers of different origin (blood, breast, brain, skin, head and neck, thyroid, cervix, lung, retina, colon, pancreas and so on). Cancer stem cells - rare cells with indefinite proliferative potential that drive the formation and growth of tumours- seem to show intriguing relationships with physiological stem cells. Specifically, these cancer cells show significant similarities in the mechanisms that regulate self-renewal of normal stem cells. Moreover, tumour cells might directly arise from normal stem cells. Further, the cellular biology of cancer stem cells show a lot of similarities with normal stem cells.

Part IV: The Identity of Stemness and Its Consequences for Cancer Therapies -- Chapter 7. If Stemness Is a Categorical or a Dispositional Property, How Can We Cure Cancers? -- Chapter 8. If Stemness Is a Relational or a Systemic Property, How Can We Cure Cancers? -- Conclusion -- Notes -- References -- Acknowledgments -- Index

The first volume of Stem Cells deals with the fundamental principles that govern embryonic and somatic stem cell biology. Historically, the identification and characterization of such pathways and general rules of stemness occurred during embryonic development and Volume I reflects this with topics spanning cell cycle regulation, epigenetics, and asymmetric cell division in a number of organ systems from planarian to human. Three specific sections discuss i) Basic Stem Cell Biology, ii) Tissue Formation During Development, and iii) Model Organisms with particular emphasis on those more relevant for biomedical research and, thus, leading to the topics addressed in Volume II.

This book describes the use of stem cells and cancer stem cell generation in the inflammatory microenvironment (cancer-inducing niche) using induced pluripotent stem cells. It provides step-by-step techniques and manuals for studying stem cell and cancer stem cell generation with different applications in cancer research. The development of induced pluripotent stem cells has provided a new approach to studying cancer initiation by producing cancer stem cells without introducing mutations or foreign genes. The book features the research of the authors’ group, which was the first to generate cancer stem cells from stem cells in the presence of inflammatory conditions. The 20 chapters of this book cover topics such as generating pluripotent stem cells, converting normal stem cells to cancer stem cells, enriching, isolating and evaluating cancer stem cells. Methods for evaluating the characteristics of cancer stem cells and possible therapies against them are also discussed. The book provides easy-to-follow protocols that help researchers in the study of cancer stem cells. Illustrations help readers understand how the method of cancer stem cell generation can be applied as an essential method for assessing the carcinogenic potential of various non-mutagenic compounds. It will be a useful resource for graduate students, researchers, technicians, and physicians working in academic, hospital, and pharmaceutical settings.

The potential of stem cells for healing and disease prevention in all fields of medicine is tremendous and has revolutionized the high-tech biomedical research. In this book, many of the most prominent researchers discuss the challenging topics of stem cell engineering, for example: Ethical issues of stem cell research; technological challenges, stem cell growth and differentiation, therapeutic applications, bioreactors and bioprocesses, high throughput and microfluidic screening platforms, stem cell identification and sorting, intercellular signaling and engineered niches, novel approaches for embryonic and adult stem cell growth and differentiation, stem cells and drug discovery, screening platforms. Stem Cell Engineering offers valuable background and reference for both the public and professionals including industrial staffers, faculty, researchers, engineers, students and scientific journalists.

The “cancer stem cell” hypothesis postulates that cancer arises from a subpopulation of tumor-initiating cells or cancer stem cells (CSCs). While the idea of cancer stem cells has been around for more than a hundred years, evidence from the fields of hematology and cancer biology has now demonstrated the critical role of stem cells in hematological malignancies and suggested that these same mechanisms are also central to the initiation, progression, and treatment of solid cancers. Clinical and experimental studies have shown that CSCs exhibit many classical properties of normal stem cells, including a high self-renewal capacity and the ability to generate heterogeneous lineages; the requirement for a specific “niche”/microenvironment to grow; and an increased capacity for self-protection against harsh environments, toxins, and drugs. Cancer Stem Cells in Solid Tumors represents a detailed overview of cancer stem cells and their role in solid cancers. Comprised of 24 chapters, this volume will provide readers with a comprehensive understanding of this important and evolving field. Topics covered include: Introduction of the CSC hypothesis Historical perspectives and the contributing lessons from leukemia Current knowledge regarding the identification and role of CSCs in various forms of solid cancer including breast, brain, colorectal, pancreatic, prostate, melanoma, lung, ovarian, hepatocellular, and head and neck cancer Molecular pathways involved in driving CSC function, with a particular focus on the novel convergence of embryonic and tumorigenic signaling pathways In vitro and in vivo assays, model systems, and imaging modalities for studying CSCs The clinical importance of CSCs for cancer management and treatment, including important implications for prognosis, prediction, and treatment resistance Consideration of the controversy surrounding the CSC hypothesis and important unanswered questions in this field This collective work was written by a group of prominent international experts in cancer biology, oncology, and/or stem cell biology. It will serve as a valuable resource for established researchers, professors, health care professionals, and students in the medical and scientific community who are investigating stem cells and/or oncology.