Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are rare sub-population in tumor mass with self-renewal and differentiation abilities; CSCs are considered as the main cells which are responsible for tumor metastasis, cancer recurrence, and chemo/radio-resistance. CSCs are believed to contain low mitochondria in quantity, high concentration of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), and low reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. Mitochondria regulate certain cellular functions, including controlling of cellular energetics, calcium signaling, cell growth and cell differentiation, cell cycle regulation, and cell death. Also, mitochondria are the main sources of intrinsic ROS production. Dysfunction of CSCs mitochondria due to oxidative phosphorylation is reported in several pathological conditions, including metabolic disorders, age-related diseases, and various types of cancers. ROS levels play a significant role in cellular signal transduction and CSCs’ identity and differentiation capability. Nrf2 is a master transcription factor that plays critical functions in maintaining cellular redox hemostasis by regulating several antioxidant and detoxification pathways. Recently, the critical function of Nrf2 in CSCs has been revealed by several studies. Nrf2 is an essential molecule in the maintenance of CSCs’ stemness and self-renewal in response to different oxidative stresses such as chemotherapy-induced elevation of ROS. Nrf2 enables these cells to recover from chemotherapy damages, and promotes establishment of invasion and dissemination. In this study, we have summarized the role of Nrf2 and mitochondria function CSCs, which promote cancer development. The significant role of Nrf2 in the regulation of mitochondrial function and ROS levels suggests this molecule as a potential target to eradicate CSCs.

癌症干细胞（CSCs）是肿瘤块中罕见的具有自我更新和分化能力的亚群。CSC被认为是负责肿瘤转移，癌症复发以及化学/放射抗性的主要细胞。据信CSC的线粒体含量低，核因子类红细胞2相关因子2（Nrf2）的浓度高，活性氧（ROS）含量低。线粒体调节某些细胞功能，包括控制细胞能量，钙信号传导，细胞生长和细胞分化，细胞周期调节和细胞死亡。而且，线粒体是内在ROS产生的主要来源。据报道，在多种病理状况下，由于氧化磷酸化导致的CSC线粒体功能异常，包括代谢异常，与年龄相关的疾病，和各种类型的癌症。ROS水平在细胞信号转导以及CSC的身份和分化能力中起着重要作用。Nrf2是一个主要的转录因子，通过调节多种抗氧化剂和排毒途径在维持细胞氧化还原止血中起关键作用。最近，一些研究揭示了Nrf2在CSC中的关键功能。Nrf2是维持CSC的干性和自我更新的重要分子，可响应化学疗法诱导的ROS升高等不同的氧化应激。Nrf2使这些细胞能够从化学损伤中恢复，并促进侵袭和传播的建立。在这项研究中，我们总结了Nrf2和线粒体功能CSC的作用，它们促进了癌症的发展。