Dynamic Modeling of Genes Controlling Cancer Stem Cell Proliferation

Zhong Wang, Jingyuan Liu, Jianxin Wang, Yaqun Wang, Ningtao Wang, Yao Li, Runze Li, Rongling Wu
2012 Frontiers in Genetics  
The growing evidence that cancer originates from stem cells (SC) holds a great promise to eliminate this disease by designing specific drug therapies for removing cancer SC. Translation of this knowledge into predictive tests for the clinic is hampered due to the lack of methods to discriminate cancer SC from non-cancer SC. Here, we address this issue by describing a conceptual strategy for identifying the genetic origins of cancer SC. The strategy incorporates a high-dimensional group of
more » ... ential equations that characterizes the proliferation, differentiation, and reprogramming of cancer SC in a dynamic cellular and molecular system. The deployment of robust mathematical models will help uncover and explain many still unknown aspects of cell behavior, tissue function, and network organization related to the formation and division of cancer SC.The statistical method developed allows biologically meaningful hypotheses about the genetic control mechanisms of carcinogenesis and metastasis to be tested in a quantitative manner.
doi:10.3389/fgene.2012.00084 pmid:22661984 pmcid:PMC3357477 fatcat:puiyahmj4rfajetzsmevnbuuzu