Review
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World J Stem Cells. Nov 26, 2014; 6(5): 579-590
Published online Nov 26, 2014. doi: 10.4252/wjsc.v6.i5.579
Role of liver stem cells in hepatocarcinogenesis
Lei-Bo Xu, Chao Liu
Lei-Bo Xu, Chao Liu, Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Gene Regulation and Target Therapy of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Research Center of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510120, Guangdong Province, China
Lei-Bo Xu, Chao Liu, Department of Hepato-pancreato-biliary Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510120, Guangdong Province, China
Author contributions: Xu LB designed and wrote this manuscript; Liu C revised and approved the final version of the manuscript.
Supported by The Special Research Foundation of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 81172068
Correspondence to: Chao Liu, MD, PhD, Department of Hepato-pancreato-biliary Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 107 Yan Jiang Xi Lu, Guangzhou 510120, Guangdong Province, China. mdliuchao@hotmail.com
Telephone: +86-20-34071172 Fax:+86-20-34071091
Received: July 24, 2014
Revised: August 24, 2014
Accepted: August 30, 2014
Published online: November 26, 2014
Processing time: 65 Days and 15.5 Hours
Core Tip

Core tip: Liver cancer is an aggressive disease with a high mortality rate. However, the concept of liver cancer origin is controversial. Recently, there is increasing evidence for the “cancer stem cell hypothesis”, which proposes that liver cancer originates from the malignant transformation of liver stem/progenitor cells (liver cancer stem cells). This cancer stem cell model has important significance for understanding the basic biology of liver cancer and has profound importance for the development of new strategies for cancer prevention and treatment. This review discusses current knowledge concerning the role of liver stem cells in the hepatocarcinogenesis of primary liver cancer.