Affiliations: [a] Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, B. V. Patel Pharmaceutical Education and Research Development Centre, S. G. Highway, Thaltej, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India | [b] Faculty of Pharmacy, NIRMA University, Sarkhej-Gandhinagar Highway, Gota, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Manish Nivsarkar, B. V. Patel Pharmaceutical Education and Research Development (PERD) Centre, S. G. Highway, Thaltej, Ahmedabad - 380054, Gujarat, India. Tel.: +91 7927413219; Fax: +91 7927450449; E-mail:manishnivsarkar@gmail.com; perd@perdcentre.com
Abstract: Cancer Stem Cells (CSCs) have been recently identified and their role in
carcinogenesis has been ascertained. CSCs have been correlated with high
relapse in certain cancers, multiple drug resistance against chemotherapy
and metastasis. Several markers such as CD133, CD24, CD44, EpCAM, and CD26
have been identified to isolate and characterize CSCs. None of these markers
or their combinations are universal in nature and can be used to isolate
CSCs from all types of cancer. CD90 is one such marker whose expression has
been extensively studied in recent years. CD90+ cells have been isolated
from several types of tumors and shown to exhibit cardinal properties of
CSCs such as proliferation, differentiation, spheroid formation, metastasis
and ability to form tumor xenograft in immunodeficient mice. It is also
found to be co-expressed with several other CSC markers. CD90 is therefore,
suggested as a candidate marker as well as a potential therapeutic target
for elimination of CSCs.
Keywords: Tumors, cancer stem cells, cancer stem cell markers, CD90, THY1
