摘要
Vasculogenic mimicry(VM),a newly-defined pattern of tumor blood supply,provides a special passage without endothelial cells and is conspicuously different from angiogenesis and vasculogenesis.The biological features of the tumor cells that form VM remain unknown.Cancer stem cells(CSCs)are believed to be tumorinitiating cells,capable of self-renewal and multipotent differentiation,which resemble normal stem cells in phenotype and function.Recently CSCs have been shown to contribute to VM formation as well as angiogenesis.These findings challenge the previous understanding of the cellular basis of VM formation.In this review,we present evidence for participation of CSCs in VM formation.We also discuss the potential mechanisms and possible interaction of CSCs with various elements in tumor microenvironment niche.Based on the importance of VM in tumor progression,it constitutes a novel therapeutic target for cancer.
基金
the National Basic Research Program of China(973 Program)(Grant No.2010CB529403)
National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.30800421,30725035 and 30930103).
