Abstract: Cell signaling pathways play significant role in cell fate in naive stem cells and mature cells. They maintain homeostasis by signaling for cell multiplication leading to genesis of new cells either from existing cells or from stem cells. The constant pool of functional cell type of particular tissue/organ is maintained at all the times. Constituents of cell signaling are extra-cellular cell surface markers and intra-cellular proteins. Signaling pathways are critical in stem cells to maintain ‘stemness’ leading to hallmark properties like self-renewal and plasticity.
Abnormal signaling proteins may lead to loss of routine function of the pathway which may subsequently results into disastrous consequences ranging from different disorders to forming malignant neoplasm. The reasons for abnormal protein could be mutation in the gene which codes it or heredity. Stem cells and cancer cells share many properties like self-renewal & high level of acclimatization into the microenvironment they are in. Only difference being stem cells are highly regulated while cancer cells are not in terms of control over cell multiplication. Literature reveals involvement of abnormal signalling proteins in transformed cells.
It is imperative to study different pathways in cancer cells to device possible therapeutic strategy to reverse abnormal signaling protein or pathway with the help of normal stem cell pathway. The underlying mechanism behind this approach is cell to cell contact leading to possible repair of malignant cell type.
The present review article deals with seven key cell signaling pathways possibly involved in transforming cells into malignant cell type. The article compares normal pathway with aberrant pathway in cancer cells. This concise approach is helpful in identifying the potential pathway signaling protein to be targeted for therapeutic application.
Keywords: Stem Cells, Wnt Signaling Pathway, Neoplasm, MAP Kinase Signaling Pathways, Cancer.
Title: Normal Cell Signaling Pathways Maintains ‘Stemness’ in Stem Cells But Aberrant Pathways Causes Cells to Transform Into Cancer Cells – A Review
Author: Sushilkumar Ramdasi
International Journal of Healthcare Sciences
ISSN 2348-5728 (Online)
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