Figure 2.

The metabolic heterogeneity and flexibility of cancer stem cells (CSCs). The metabolic phenotypes of each CSC are very heterogeneous even within the same tumor. High glycolytic CSCs have more invasive ability compared to high oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) CSCs. Circulating cancer stem cells are dependent on OXPHOS or have a higher metabolic capacity. Glycolytic CSCs reprogram metabolism to OXPHOS-dependent manner or maintains glycolytic metabolism by forming clusters during circulating. Eventually, CSCs metastasize to organs that are compatible with metabolic phenotypes.