Stem Cell Control, Oscillations, and Tissue Regeneration in Spatial and Non-Spatial Models

Normal human tissue is organized into cell lineages, in which the highly differentiated mature cells that perform tissue functions are the end product of an orderly tissue-specific sequence of divisions that start with stem cells or progenitor cells. Tissue homeostasis and effective regeneration after injuries requires tight regulation of these cell lineages and feedback loops play a fundamental role in this regard. In particular, signals secreted from differentiated cells that inhibit stem cell division and stem cell self-renewal are important in establishing control. In this article we study in detail the cell dynamics that arise from this control mechanism. These dynamics are fundamental to our understanding of cancer, given that tumor initiation requires an escape from tissue regulation. Knowledge on the processes of cellular control can provide insights into the pathways that lead to deregulation and consequently cancer development.