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The ability of stem cells to self-renew and generate different lineages during development and organogenesis is a fundamental, tightly controlled, and generally unidirectional process, whereas the 'immortality' of cancer cells could be regarded as pathological self-renewal. The molecular mechanisms that underpin the generation of induced pluripotent stem cells are remarkably similar to those that are deregulated in cancer - so much so that aberrant reprogramming is tumorigenic. The similarities also suggest that mutations in genes implicated in DNA methylation dynamics might represent a hallmark of cancers with a stem cell origin, and they highlight an alternative view of cancer that may be of clinical benefit.

Original publication

DOI

10.1038/nrc3781

Type

Journal article

Journal

Nat Rev Cancer

Publication Date

08/2014

Volume

14

Pages

568 - 573

Keywords

Animals, Cell Transformation, Neoplastic, Cellular Reprogramming, DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases, Epigenesis, Genetic, Humans, Isocitrate Dehydrogenase, Neoplasms, Proto-Oncogene Proteins, Tumor Microenvironment