DCLK1 marks a morphologically distinct subpopulation of cells with stem cell properties in preinvasive pancreatic cancer.

ABSTRACT:

Background & aims

As in other tumor types, progression of pancreatic cancer may require a functionally unique population of cancer stem cells. Although such cells have been identified in many invasive cancers, it is not clear whether they emerge during early or late stages of tumorigenesis. Using mouse models and human pancreatic cancer cell lines, we investigated whether preinvasive pancreatic neoplasia contains a subpopulation of cells with distinct morphologies and cancer stem cell-like properties.

Methods

Pancreatic tissue samples were collected from the KC(Pdx1), KPC(Pdx1), and KC(iMist1) mouse models of pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN) and analyzed by confocal and electron microscopy, lineage tracing, and fluorescence-activated cell sorting. Subpopulations

SUBMITTER: Bailey JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3910427 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature