Figure 3. Differentiation and transdifferentiation potentials of cancer stem cells (CSCs).

CSCs can differentiate into the non-stem original cell lineages from which the tumor arose as well as have potential to transdifferentiate into other cell lineages, such as endothelial cells, pericytes, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), adipocytes, osteocytes, chondrocytes, myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and neurons in specific tissue contexts. However, there is insufficient direct evidence supporting the transdifferentiation of CSCs into most of other cell lineages.