Over the past decade, there have been remarkable advances in our understanding of stem cell biology. Although the intestinal stem cell remains difficult to isolate, it is known to be important for the development of intestinal neoplasms. In this Review, the authors discuss the basic mechanisms behind stem cell regulation in the gut and their role in the natural history of tumor progression in the setting of colorectal cancer.
- Stuart AC McDonald
- Sean L Preston
- Janusz AZ Jankowski
