Tumor can originate from not only rare cancer stem cells

Tumors are believed to consist of a heterogeneous population of tumor cells originating from rare cancer stem cells (CSCs). However, emerging evidences show that tumor may also originate from non-CSCs. Here, we give evidences supporting that the number of tumorigenic tumor cells is higher than the number of CSCs and tumor can also derive from non-CSCs. First, we applied an idealized mathematical model and theoretically calculated that non-CSCs could initiate tumor if their proliferation potential was adequate. Next, we demonstrated by experimental studies that 17.7%, 38.6% and 5.2% of tumor cells in murine B16 solid melanoma, H22 hepatoma and Lewis lung carcinoma, respectively, were potentially tumorigenic. We propose that the rare CSCs, if exist, are not the only origination of a tumor.