Pluripotent stem cells are self-renewing cells that interact with their microenvironment to balance the quiescence, proliferation, and regeneration of cells and to maintain brain homeostasis. Stem cells and their descendants, known as progenitor cells play critical roles in brain development. They can also be found in adult brain tissue and are involved in cell regeneration and brain plasticity. Cancer stem cells, on the other hand, have been identified as the malignant equivalents that contribute to cancer progression by interacting with their microenvironment, which regulates tumor survival, proliferation, metastasis, and recurrence. Thus understanding stem cell properties, microenvironmental components, and interactions will not only improve our knowledge of brain development but also provide us with new therapeutic options for brain developmental-related diseases, as well as a better understanding of the malignant progression of human cancer.
This Research Topic aims to identify the critical signaling pathways for brain development, and their potential interactions with the microenvironment. Furthermore, we hope to investigate how the malfunction of normal stem cells and their microenvironment can lead to brain developmental-related diseases as well as cell malignant transformation or tumorigenesis. We also encourage the development of advanced experimental methods and techniques in the fields of brain development and tumor biology research fields.
Original Research articles, Reviews and Perspectives on the following subtopics are welcome for submission:
· Development and application of new technologies in stem cell and developmental research;
· The interaction between stem cells and the microenvironment in brain development and tumor progression;
· Brain development and developmental-related diseases;
· The origin and development of the cancer stem/progenitor cell and tumor progression.
Pluripotent stem cells are self-renewing cells that interact with their microenvironment to balance the quiescence, proliferation, and regeneration of cells and to maintain brain homeostasis. Stem cells and their descendants, known as progenitor cells play critical roles in brain development. They can also be found in adult brain tissue and are involved in cell regeneration and brain plasticity. Cancer stem cells, on the other hand, have been identified as the malignant equivalents that contribute to cancer progression by interacting with their microenvironment, which regulates tumor survival, proliferation, metastasis, and recurrence. Thus understanding stem cell properties, microenvironmental components, and interactions will not only improve our knowledge of brain development but also provide us with new therapeutic options for brain developmental-related diseases, as well as a better understanding of the malignant progression of human cancer.
This Research Topic aims to identify the critical signaling pathways for brain development, and their potential interactions with the microenvironment. Furthermore, we hope to investigate how the malfunction of normal stem cells and their microenvironment can lead to brain developmental-related diseases as well as cell malignant transformation or tumorigenesis. We also encourage the development of advanced experimental methods and techniques in the fields of brain development and tumor biology research fields.
Original Research articles, Reviews and Perspectives on the following subtopics are welcome for submission:
· Development and application of new technologies in stem cell and developmental research;
· The interaction between stem cells and the microenvironment in brain development and tumor progression;
· Brain development and developmental-related diseases;
· The origin and development of the cancer stem/progenitor cell and tumor progression.
