Newly Identified Stem Cells May Hold Clues to Colon Cancer
Thursday, March 29, 2012 - 13:00
in Biology & Nature
Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center researchers have identified a new population of intestinal stem cells that may hold clues to the origin of colorectal cancer. This new stem cell population, reported March 30 in the journal Cell, appears to be relatively quiescent (inactive) - in contrast to the recent discovery of intestinal stem cells that multiply rapidly - and is marked by a protein, Lrig1, that may act as a "brake" on cell growth and proliferation.