The Stemness Phenotype Model

Table 6

Comparison between the SPM and other alternative models.

Model	Hierarchy	Interconversion between CSCs and non-CSCs	Influence of the microenvironment on stemness	Origin of heterogeneity	Reference
Classical CSC model	Yes	No	No^a	Existence of different subpopulations. The origin of each subpopulation (e.g., CSCs) is controversial.	[6, 15, 84, 85]
SPM	No	Yes	Yes	Microenvironment-driven phenotypic changes	[6]
Complex system model	Partial (some differentiated cells may not interconvert)	Probably yes (not clearly mentioned)	Probably yes (referred at “the niche”)	Genetic, epigenetics Cell-cell and cell-niche interactions	[84]
Dynamic CSC model	No	Yes	Yes	Genetic, epigenetics, microenvironment-driven phenotypic changes	[85]
Reprogramming model	No	Yes	Yes	Epigenetics, endogenous transcriptional reprogramming networks, microenvironmental signals	[15]

^aIn the classical CSC, cells are preferentially enriched in specific niches rather than shaped by the microenvironment.