Prominin-1 (CD133) Expression in the Prostate and Prostate Cancer: A Marker for Quiescent Stem Cells.

The origin and phenotype of stem cells in human prostate cancer remains a subject of much conjecture. In this scenario, CD133 has been successfully used as a stem cell marker in both normal prostate and prostate cancer. However, cancer stem cells have been identified without the use of this marker, opening up the possibility of a CD133 negative cancer stem cell. In this chapter, we review the current literature regarding prostate cancer stem cells, with specific reference to the expression of CD133 as a stem cell marker to identify and purify stem cells in normal prostate epithelium and prostate cancer.