Department of Urology, Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Int J Urol. 2010 Feb;17(2):139-47. doi: 10.1111/j.1442-2042.2009.02438.x. Epub 2010 Jan 15.
Although both prostate epithelial stem cells and prostate cancer stem cells are implicated in the differentiation of the normal prostate gland and carcinogenesis of prostate cancer, there has, until recently, been little information regarding their biology. This review summarizes the recent advancements in cell biological research including various in vitro culture systems that have offered the characterization and isolation of prostate epithelial stem cells and prostate cancer stem cells. In addition, the stromal niche or microenvironment of stem cells plays an essential role in proliferation and differentiation of normal stem cells. Stroma surrounding cancer cells, which also provide another unique niche, may involve the initiation and development of cancer stem cells. Investigation of stem cells and their microenvironments in the prostate should lead to the elucidation of biological features and the development of novel treatments for prostate cancer.
虽然前列腺上皮干细胞和前列腺癌干细胞都与正常前列腺的分化和前列腺癌的发生有关，但直到最近，关于它们的生物学特性的信息还很少。这篇综述总结了细胞生物学研究的最新进展，包括各种体外培养系统，这些系统提供了前列腺上皮干细胞和前列腺癌干细胞的特征描述和分离。此外，干细胞的基质龛或微环境在正常干细胞的增殖和分化中起着至关重要的作用。围绕癌细胞的基质，也提供了另一个独特的龛位，可能涉及癌症干细胞的启动和发展。对前列腺干细胞及其微环境的研究应该能够阐明其生物学特性，并为前列腺癌的治疗提供新的方法。
