The characteristics of CSLCs (triple-marker-positive; CD44+/CD133+/EpCAM+ cells).
A, recovery of four numbers of CSLCs (triple-marker-positive cells) isolated from human pancreatic cancer MiaPaCa-2 cells by FACS analysis after 4 weeks of incubation in sphere formation medium (A, a–d). e and f, photograph of sphere formation in CSLCs (triple-marker-positive cells) after 7 days of incubation in sphere formation medium. B, the percentages of CD44+/CD133+/EpCAM+ cells in MiaPaCa-2, triple-marker-negative CD44−/CD133−/EpCAM−, and triple-marker-positive CD44+/CD133+/EpCAM+ cells by flow cytometry. C, higher self-renewal capacity of CSLCs (triple-marker-positive cells) as assessed by the sphere formation assay. D, the CSC self-renewal capacity of cells with different combinations of CSLC triple markers isolated from MiaPaCa-2 cells by the FACS technique. The sphere formation assay was performed to evaluate the CSC self-renewal capacity of cells with different combinations of CSLC triple markers isolated from MiaPaCa-2 cells by the FACS technique. Error bars, S.D. (n = 3). *, p ≤ 0.05 (n = 3) compared with CSLC triple-marker-positive cells.