Department of Biochemistry,

University of Okara

Topic Name

Stem Cells and Cancer

Presented By: Muhammad Ali Raza
M.Phil Biochemistry F22-MP-BIOCHEM-1010
Presented to: Dr. Farkhanda Yasmin
 Stem Cells:
The Good and The Bad
 Stem Cells: What are they?

Yeah…

Can you divide and renew

yourself ?

Stem Cell
Recruitment
Center
Stem Cells: What are they?

See, I’m still here!

Stem Cell
Recruitment
Center
 Stem Cells: What are they?
Yes, I’m unspecialized but
my brother can become
specialized. Watch him.
You seem rather unspecialized.
Can you give rise to
specialized cells?

Stem Cell
Recruitment
Center
Stem Cells: What are they?

My brother can become a

skin cell. He specialized to
form tight attachments to his
neighbors…

Stem Cell
Recruitment
Center
 Stem Cells: What are they?
So do I get
the job?
You’re hired. You
can start as one of
our stem cells
tomorrow

Stem Cell
Recruitment
Center
 What are stem cells?
Stem cells are undifferentiated cells
that have the ability to self-renew and
differentiate into specialized cell
types. They are found in all
multicellular organisms, including
humans.
 Sources of stem cells?

Adult stem cells:

A person’s body contains stem cells throughout their
life. The body can use these stem cells
whenever it needs them. Also called tissue-specific or
somatic stem cells, adult stem cells exist
throughout the body from the time an embryo develops.
Embryonic stem cells: From the very
earliest stage of pregnancy, after the sperm fertilizes the
egg, an embryo forms.
 Types of stem cells
Totipotent: These stem cells can differentiate into all possible cell
types. The first few cells that
appear as the zygote starts to divide are totipotent.
Pluripotent: These cells can turn into almost any cell. Cells from
the early embryo are pluripotent.
Multipotent: These cells can differentiate into a closely related
family of cells. Adult
hematopoietic stem cells, for example, can become red and white
blood cells or platelets.
Oligopotent: These can differentiate into a few different cell
types. Adult lymphoid or myeloid
stem cells can do this.
Unipotent: These can only produce cells of one kind, which is
their own type. However, they are
still stem cells because they can renew themselves. Examples
include adult muscle stem cells.
 Stem Cells: Not like other cells…
Self Renewal
Stem Cell

Stem Cell
Progenitor Cell
Undifferentiated

Cell division and

differentiation

Red Blood Cell Platelet White Blood Cell

Adult stem cells: Many different types…

Adult stem cells

contribute to
homeostasis
Neural
They divide only
Stem
Cell when needed
Their progeny
differentiate into
cells that perform
essential body
functions.
Blood
Stem
Cell
 What is cancer?
Cancer is a disease characterized
by uncontrolled cell growth. Cancer
cells can spread to other parts of the
body, a process known as
metastasis.
 What is the relationship
between stem cells and
cancer?
Some scientists believe that cancer
stem cells (CSCs) are the driving
force behind cancer. CSCs are
thought to be more resistant to
chemotherapy and radiation than
other cancer cells.
Where might cancer stem cells
come from?

DNA mutations in
normal stem cells
may give rise to
cancer stem cells
 There are several ways that
stem cells can lead to cancer:

Mutations: Stem cells can acquire

mutations that give them the ability
to divide uncontrollably. These mutations
can be caused by environmental factors,
such as exposure to radiation or
chemicals, or they can be inherited.
 Cancer Stem Cells

Cancer
Stem Cell
DNA
mutations

Cancer
Cancer Progenitor
Stem Cell Cell

Uncontrolled, rapid cell division

gives rise to improperly
differentiated tumor cells
 Epigenetic changes:
Epigenetic changes are changes
to the DNA that do not alter the
underlying genetic sequence. These
changes can affect how genes are
expressed, and they can contribute to the
development of cancer.
 Inflammation:
Chronic inflammation can
damage DNA and lead to the
development of cancer.
Stem cells are particularly vulnerable
to the effects of inflammation.
The exact mechanisms by
which stem cells lead
to cancer are still being investigated.
How are stem cells being
used to treat cancer?
Stem cell transplants: Stem cell
transplants are used to replace
damaged or destroyed bone marrow.
Bone marrow is a reservoir of stem
cells that produce blood cells.
 Cancer immunotherapy:
Cancer immunotherapy uses the
body's own immune system to fight
cancer. Stem cells can be used
to boost the immune
system and help it to better recognize
and attack cancer cells.
 Tissue engineering:
Stem cells can be used to grow new
organs or tissues in the lab. This could
potentially be used to replace organs
or tissues that have been damaged
by cancer.
What are the challenges of using
stem cells to treat cancer?
 Identifying and isolating CSCs
 Developing effective delivery methods
 Overcoming immune rejection
 Identifying Cancer Stem Cells

Scientists can break up the cells of a

tumor, then transplant each tumor cell into
a new location….

Most of the tumor

cells end up
dying…

Tumor

But a rare few go on

to grow a new tumor…
Cancer Stem Cells
 Chemotherapy: Targets Rapidly
Dividing Cells
Stem cells do not
divide rapidly, so are
not targeted by
chemotherapy.

Conventional
chemotherapy targets
rapidly dividing cells. X X
X
Chemotherapy: Targets Rapidly
Dividing Cells

The stem cell

Cancer Stem Cell survives conventional
chemotherapy and
divides to form a new
tumor
What’s coming in cancer therapy?

New targeted drugs that The rest of the cancer

specifically kill cancer cells should die on their
stem cells without own, or conventional
harming normal stem chemotherapy drugs can
cells should remove the be used to kill these cells
“root” of the cancer.
 What are the future prospects
for stem cell therapy for cancer?
The research on stem cells and
cancer is still in its early stages.
Stem cell therapy is a promising new
area of cancer research. With further
research, stem cells could potentially be
used to develop new and more effective
Cancer treatments.
Scientists are searching for answers to these
questions about cancer stem cells…

What makes these cells

different?

What kinds of drugs can target

these cells?

What cellular pathways are

affected by drugs that target
these cells?

Are there other possible drugs

that target those pathways?