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Stem cell identification— in vivo lineage analysis versus in vitro isolation and clonal expansion
Author(s) -
Wright Nicholas A
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
the journal of pathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.964
H-Index - 184
eISSN - 1096-9896
pISSN - 0022-3417
DOI - 10.1002/path.4018
Subject(s) - lineage (genetic) , stem cell , biology , clonogenic assay , identification (biology) , progenitor cell , in vitro , microbiology and biotechnology , isolation (microbiology) , evolutionary biology , computational biology , genetics , bioinformatics , gene , botany
Recently, a dispute has arisen concerning the operational definition and identification of epithelial stem cells. There is a current view which considers that epithelial stem cell identification depends solely on the in vitro isolation and expansion of cells from the putative stem cell. This article argues strongly that this is a perverse and erroneous view, and that lineage labelling, using genetic markers, remains the gold standard for identifying epithelial stem cells and for analysing their behaviour: in vitro methods show, at best, clonogenic potential but not fate, and constitute ancillary support for conclusions drawn from lineage analysis. Copyright © 2012 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.