Fig. 2

In precancerous stem cells (pCSCs), a qualitative mutation of oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes may result in the loss of the benign differentiation and commitment capability of cancer stem cells (CSCs). Murine pCSC clones are pseudodiploid, whereas CSC clones are usually diploid. The number of chromosomal translocations in CSCs does not increase compared with that in pCSCs. Cells with microsatellite instability (MIN) are normally approximately diploid. The core concept of the above hypothesis has been described elsewhere [26]. LOH loss of heterozygosity, CIN chromosomal instability