Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Stem cells are defined as undifferentiated cells that have two distinct features, i.e., multi-lineage potential and self-renewal capacity, which means that stem cells can differentiate into a wide range of different cell type, and can self-renew to produce more stem cells with multi-lineage potential. In recent years, stem cells have been the subject of increasing scientific interest because of their utility in numerous biomedical and toxicology applications. This study aimed to assess applications of cancer stem cells in toxicological studies. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: A search of the literature was performed through PubMed, Cochrane Library, Medline, and Science Citation Index expanded databases for articles published in English language. We performed a formal systematic review using summary measures from these studies. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: In total, 7 published studies were included in the final analysis. any chemical, especially at noncytotoxic concentrations, could induce intracellular signaling, which, in turn, could alter the fate of stem cells. CONCLUSIONS: The studies seem to suggest that stem cell technology represents a contribution of great impact to the field of chemical compound toxicology.