DATE & TIME
Cancer stem cells and mechanisms of multi-drug resistance by flow cytometry
About this webinar
The cancer stem cell (CSC) model has been established as a cellular mechanism that contributes to phenotypic and functional heterogeneity in diverse cancer types. Recent observations, however, have highlighted many complexities and challenges: the CSC phenotype can vary substantially between patients, tumors may harbor multiple phenotypically or genetically distinct CSCs, metastatic CSCs can evolve from primary CSCs, and tumor cells may undergo reversible phenotypic changes. Although the CSC concept will have clinical relevance in specific cases, accumulating evidence suggests that it will be imperative to target all CSC subsets within the tumor to prevent relapse. In cancer therapy, detailed understanding of the effects of drugs on signal transduction pathways in the target cells is of pivotal relevance in tailoring individualized therapeutic approaches. Furthermore, new and more detailed diagnostics will help to specifically design a therapy for the individual patient.
In this webinar, Dr. Jordi Petriz (The Jose Carreras Leukemia Research Institute in Barcelona) will discuss how flow cytometry can be a key player in these endeavors. A characteristic of ‘‘stemness’’ of normal and tumor stem cells is their ability to express transporter molecules that function to exclude anticancer drugs and certain dye molecules very helpful to prospectively identify and isolate cancer stem cells by flow cytometry.
Key Highlights:
- The Primary Challenges Encountered in Drug Resistance to Anticancer Agents
- Methods for Preparing Multidrug Resistance Assays, including Identification of Primitive Stem Cells
- The Types of Information that can be Obtained using this Technology
