Clonal selection parallels between normal and cancer tissues

Clonal selection and drift drive both normal tissue and cancer development. However, the biological mechanisms and environmental conditions underpin-ning these processes remain to be elucidated. Clonal selection models are cen-tered in Darwinian evolutionary theory, where some clones with the fittest features are selected and populate the tissue or tumor. We suggest that different subclasses of stem cells, each of which is responsible for a distinct feature of the selection process, share common features between normal and cancer condi-tions. While active stem cells populate the tissue, dormant cells account for tis-sue replenishment/regeneration in both normal and cancerous tissues. We also discuss potential mechanisms that drive clonal drift, their interactions with clonal selection, and their similarities during normal and cancer tissue development.

Automated summary

Clonal selection and drift play important roles in both normal tissue and cancer development, but the biological mechanisms and environmental conditions underlying these processes are still unclear. Clonal selection models are based on Darwinian evolutionary theory, where clones with the fittest features are selected and proliferate in the tissue or tumor. We suggest that different subclasses of stem cells, responsible for distinct features of the selection process, have common characteristics in both normal and cancer conditions. Active stem cells populate the tissue, while dormant cells contribute to tissue replenishment/regeneration in normal and cancerous tissues. We also discuss potential mechanisms driving clonal drift, their interactions with clonal selection, and their similarities during normal and cancer tissue development.