Abstract
The characteristic properties of stem cells – notably their ability to self-renew and to differentiate – have meant that they have traditionally been viewed as distinct from most other types of cells. However, recent research has blurred the line between stem cells and other cells by showing that the former display a range of behaviors in different tissues and at different stages of development. Here, we use the tools of metaphysics to describe a classification scheme for stem cells, and to highlight what their inherent diversity means for cancer treatment.
Highlights
In cancer, a distinct fraction of cells, called cancer stem cells, may fuel the entire tumor as the disease emerges and progresses (Batlle and Clevers, 2017). Isolate or characterize both healthy and cancer stem cells is a subject of much debate
Traditional views of stem cells arose from studies of the hematopoietic tissue in the bone marrow, where blood cells originate in adults
In the late 1970s, Ray Schofield suggested that stemness relies on the interaction of hematopoietic stem cells with the microenvironment in which they reside (Schofield, 1978)
Summary
I n certain multicellular organisms, stem cells can serve as reservoir of cells to produce, maintain, repair or even regenerate many tissues. In cancer, a distinct fraction of cells, called cancer stem cells, may fuel the entire tumor as the disease emerges and progresses (Batlle and Clevers, 2017). Isolate or characterize both healthy and cancer stem cells is a subject of much debate. We provide a philosophical analysis of ’stemness’ – the defining property of stem cells – arguing that this approach may shed new light on the nature of normal and malignant stem cells. We show that, depending on the circumstances, stemness may belong to one out of four distinct properties and discuss how this may influence therapeutic strategies in the oncology field
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