Cancer Stem Cell & Oncology Research

Cellular Plasticity in Cancer Stem Cells

Cellular plasticity refers to the ability of cancer cells to transition between different phenotypic states, including stem like and differentiated states. Cancer stem cells exhibit high levels of plasticity, enabling them to adapt to fluctuating biological conditions within tumors. This flexibility allows differentiated cancer cells to reacquire stem cell properties under specific environmental or molecular influences. Plasticity is regulated by transcriptional reprogramming, epigenetic modifications, and metabolic shifts. Through this dynamic process, cancer stem cells contribute to tumor resilience and complexity. Plasticity also allows cancer stem cells to occupy diverse functional roles, including proliferation, migration, and dormancy. The reversible nature of these state transitions challenges traditional hierarchical models of tumor organization. Instead, tumors are better understood as dynamic systems where cellular identity is fluid rather than fixed. Studying plasticity enhances understanding of how cancer stem cells maintain population stability while enabling rapid adaptation to biological stress.