Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science

Focused Review article

Gastroenterology and Hepatology
Overview of hepatocarcinogenesis focusing on cellular origins of liver cancer stem cells: a narrative review: Jong Ryeol Eun; J Yeungnam Med Sci. 2025;42:3. Published online November 11, 2024; DOI: https://doi.org/10.12701/jyms.2024.01088

Abstract PDF: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounts for 85% to 90% of primary liver cancers and generally has a poor prognosis. The hierarchical model, which posits that HCC originates from liver cancer stem cells (CSCs), is now widely accepted, as it is for other cancer types. As CSCs typically reside in the G0 phase of the cell cycle, they are resistant to conventional chemotherapy. Therefore, to effectively treat HCC, developing therapeutic strategies that target liver CSCs is essential. Clinically, HCCs exhibit a broad spectrum of pathological and clinical characteristics, ranging from well-differentiated to poorly differentiated forms, and from slow-growing tumors to aggressive ones with significant metastatic potential. Some patients with HCC also show features of cholangiocarcinoma. This HCC heterogeneity may arise from the diverse cellular origins of liver CSCs. This review explores the normal physiology of liver regeneration and provides a comprehensive overview of hepatocarcinogenesis, including cancer initiation, isolation of liver CSCs, molecular signaling pathways, and microRNAs. Additionally, the cellular origins of liver CSCs are reviewed, emphasizing hematopoietic and mesenchymal stem cells, along with the well-known hepatocytes and hepatic progenitor cells.

Review

Gastroenterology and Hepatology
Cellular origin of liver cancer stem cells.: Jong Ryeol Eun; Yeungnam Univ J Med. 2015;32(1):1-7. Published online June 30, 2015; DOI: https://doi.org/10.12701/yujm.2015.32.1.1

Abstract PDF: Over several decades, a hierarchical cancer stem cell (CSC) model has been established in development of solid cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC). In terms of this concept, HCCs originate from liver CSCs. Clinically HCCs show a wide range of manifestations from slow growth to very aggressive metastasis. One of the reasons may be that liver CSCs originate from different cells. This review describes the basic concept of CSCs and the cellular origin of liver CSCs.

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