Abstract
The progenitor cells of primary bone sarcomas are quite elusive. The best candidate is the mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) also known as the mesenchymal stromal cell. Four major types of primary bone tumors can be distinguished: bone-forming tumors, chondrogenic tumors, Ewing sarcomas, and giant cell tumors of bone. The first two categories are of mesenchymal nature, Ewing sarcomas were thought to be of neuroectodermal origin and giant cell tumors most probably have a hematopoietic progenitor. Experimental data now point to a mesenchymal origin of Ewing sarcomas as well. Whether the MSC itself is the direct progenitor of primary bone tumors or its more differentiated offspring is a subject of controversy. In this chapter the MSC as progenitor of mesenchymal bone sarcomas is discussed. Furthermore the concept of the cancer stem cell in bone sarcomas is presented and finally a more general concept in malignancy, the putative role of MSCs in metastasis and homing of tumor cells is considered.
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