Stem cells have been identified and characterized in a variety of tissues. In this review we
examine possible shared properties of stem cells. We suggest that irrespective of their lineal
origin, stem cells have to respond in similar ways to regulate self-renewal and differentiation
and it is likely that cell-cycle control, asymmetry/differentiation controls, cellular protective
and DNA repair mechanisms, and associated apoptosis/senescence signaling pathways all
might be expected to be more highly regulated in stem cells, likely by similar mechanisms …