Unraveling the complex nature of prostate cancer stem cells.

The identification of distinct prostate cancer stem cell biomarkers is necessary as researchers attempt to isolate, characterize, and therapeutically target these tumor initiating cells. However, in reading the current literature it is frequently difficult to discern which biomarkers and cellular characteristics identify prostate cancer stem cells as opposed to the general population of prostate cancer cells or normal prostate stem cells. Within this review, we address this issue by dissecting out the cell surface markers, adhesion and cytoskeletal proteins, signaling pathways, epigenetic modifications, and the effects of androgens that are specific to and help to define the prostate cancer stem cell.