The Stem Cell Continuum Model and Implications in Cancer
The hematopoietic stem cell is constantly fluctuating through various intrinsic phenotypic potentials. It has dynamic plasticity and is intimately tied to cell cycle dynamics as well as numerous external stimuli. The salient studies conclude the stem cell exists in a continuum of transcriptional opportunity regulated by multiple variables, including biologically active nanoparticles termed extracellular vesicles (EVs). These bioactive mediators closely impact cellular function and phenotypic potential and play a critical role in the regulation of normal hemostasis, as well as in the development and evolution of various cancers. In this chapter, we explore the integral data explaining the stem cell continuum, the interplay between this model and EVs from various cell types, as well as the role of EVs in various solid and hematologic cancers. Finally, we evaluate the role of EVs as unique and reliable biomarkers across disease states ranging from traumatic brain injury to malignancy.
