Integrin α6 (CD49f), the microenvironment and cancer stem cells

Abstract

Cancer is a highly prevalent and potentially terminal disease that affects millions of indi- viduals worldwide. Here, we review the literature exploring the intricacies of stem cells bearing tumori- genic characteristics and collect evidence demonstrating the importance of integrin 6 (ITGA6, also known as CD49f) in cancer stem cell (CSC) activity. ITGA6 is commonly used to identify CSC popula- tions in various tissues and plays an important role sustaining the self-renewal of CSCs by interconnect- ing them with the tumorigenic microenvironment.