Dedifferentiation of esophageal progenitors in metaplasia and cancer

Abstract

Barrett syndrome is a squamo-columnar metaplasia increasing the risk of developing esophageal adenocarcinoma. Recently, we showed that esophageal cells can transdifferentiate into undifferentiated columnar cells in vivo. Here, we discuss about the potential of these cells to be a reservoir for intestinal metaplasia and/or esophageal adenocarcinoma.

Keywords

• cell plasticity
• dedifferentiation
• transdifferentiation
• metaplasia
• cancer