Bad to the bone.

摘要

Ever since descriptions of the various functional components of the hematopoietic stem cell niche, leukemia researchers have wondered whether leukemia stem cells (LSCs) require similar cell-extrinsic support for long-term maintenance of leukemia. LSCs differ from normal hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in that they have activation of key pathways regulating self-renewal, proliferation, and survival. Activation of these pathways is sufficient in many models for full leukemogenesis, suggesting that the LSC niche may be an attractive, but functionally redundant contributor to LSC survival.