Abstract

The most attractive targets in cancer research include telomere territory and cancer stem cells (CSCs). Both paradigms reflect an interactive manner, involvement of genes and functions. Telomeres have the key role in genetic instability, cell cycle regulation, and cellular senescence. By focusing on the signaling cascade and cell cycle regulation in normal cells and cancer cells, interaction between telomere, telomerase in stem cells seems to be rather complicated. This could predict the fate of cellular proliferation. By considering aging, the timing and speed are the key elements for telomere shortening, and ever-lasting proliferative capacity of cancer stem cells. In embryonic stem cells (ESCs), telomerase is activated and maintains telomere length and cellular immortality. While the telomere and telomerase findings are promising, the genomic reprogramming cells using induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells in regenerative medicine is extremely vital. This chapter will give an update on current knowledge of telomere function and telomerase activity in stem cells during cancer formation. A network of ‘telomere-telomerase- cancer stem cells’ may translate the required facts for a fundamental cancer drug development in future.

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