Why might stem cell dysregulation be oncogenic?
The majority of cells in adult epithelia are thought to have a limited intrinsic division potential. They are the daughters of a minor population of progenitor cells that are relatively undifferentiated and long-lived (or immortal). This longevity is thought to facilitate the accumulation of genetic mutations and transformation, and to make them candidate tumor precursor cells (Potten et al 2003). However, it is thought that stem cells are usually well guarded against mutagenic changes. It therefore becomes important to understand why (at least in this case) the activation of stem cells carries such a high risk of tumor development.
