Osteopontin, a possible modulator of cancer stem cells and their malignant niche

Abstract

The reciprocal interaction between cancer stem cells and their niche is important for oncogenesis and tumor progression, but the factors involved in this interrelationship remain largely unknown. We have recently demonstrated that osteopontin plays a crucial role in the crosstalk between CD44+ colorectal cancer stem cells and tumor-associated macrophages. © 2013 Landes Bioscience.