Cancer Stem Cells—Biological Properties and Therapeutic Approaches

Dear Colleagues,

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) represent a subpopulation of cancer cells with distinct stem-like properties, such as self-renewal and multipotency, and are responsible for tumor initiation, proliferation, invasive growth, heterogeneity, resistance to chemotherapy, and cancer metastasis. CSCs, in addition to the tumor-specific phenotype, are characterized by the presence of markers different from those of mature cancer cells. Extensive research in the area of CSCs has been targeted at identifying markers specific to the CSCs responsible for the development of various types of cancer. The features of CSCs are also associated with the expression of pluripotent genes and the role of transcriptional factors related to pluripotency and cell differentiation. Therefore, understanding and regulating CSC transcription factors is an important prerequisite for eliminating cancer stemness properties and promoting cancer cell destruction. This Special Issue will focus on several topics to fill in the missing gaps related to the biological characteristics of CSCs, such as their gene expression profile, cell cycle, apoptosis, microenvironment, phenotype, and sensitivity to therapeutic agents. Recognizing the specific biological features of CSCs at the gene and protein-expression level will provide new insights toward the identification of a new target for CSC-based therapeutic interventions, so research in this area will be very welcome in this Special Issue.

Prof. Dr. Aleksandra Klimczak
Guest Editor

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• cancer stem cells (CSCs)
• cancer cell biology
• gene expression
• CSCs and microenvironment
• signalling pathway
• therapeutic sensitivity
• cellular therapy
• CSCs heterogeneity
• cancer cell metabolism
• molecular target of CSCs
• targeted therapy
• cancer relapse