A vertebral skeletal stem cell lineage driving metastasis.

ABSTRACT: Vertebral bone is subject to a distinct set of disease processes from long bones, including a much higher rate of solid tumour metastases^1-4. The basis for this distinct biology of vertebral bone has so far remained unknown. Here we identify a vertebral skeletal stem cell (vSSC) that co-expresses ZIC1 and PAX1 together with additional cell surface markers. vSSCs display formal evidence of stemness, including self-renewal, label retention and sitting at the apex of their differentiation hierarchy. vSSCs are physiologic mediators of vertebral bone formation, as genetic blockade of the ability of vSSCs to generate osteoblasts results in defects in the vertebral neural arch and body. Human counterparts of vSSCs can be identified in vertebral endplate specimens and display a conserve

SUBMITTER: Sun J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10829697 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature