Table 2.
Main cancer stem cell immunophenotypic markers across different neoplasms.
| STEM CELL MARKER | SYNONYM | MOST COMMONLY FOUND ON | PUTATIVE ROLE OF THE MOLECULE |
|---|---|---|---|
| CD24 | Heat stable antigen | Breast CSCs | Adhesion molecule expressed in the majority of lymphocytes and differentiating neuroblasts |
| CD44 | – | Breast and prostate CSCs | Surface glycoprotein cell–cell interaction, cell adhesion, and migration |
| ALDH1 | – | Normal and cancer stem cells in a wide range of tissues | ALDH isoform involved in the metabolism of aldehydes and retinol |
| EpCAM | Epithelial-specific antigen (ESA) | Breast and pancreatic CSCs | Transmembrane glycoprotein involved in Ca2+ dependent cell–cell interactions associated to cell signaling, migration, proliferation, and differentiation |
| CD133 | Prominin-1 | Gliomas and colorectal carcinoma CSCs | Glicoprotein coded by PROM1 gene in human genome. Highly expressed in plasma membrane protrusions of several epithelial cell types. Important for the topological organization of plasma membranes |
| Oct-4 | POU5F1 | Cancer stem cells in a wide range of tissues | Protein coded by POU5F1 gene in human genome. Commonly expressed on undifferentiated tumor cells |
| CD34 | – | Intestinal, hepatic, and pancreatic CSCs | Cell adhesion glycoptrotein |
| c-Kit | CD117 | Intestinal, hepatic, and pancreatic CSCs | Tyrosin kinase receptor coded by the KIT gene. Expressed in hematopoietic stem cells and in granulocyte precursors |
| CD10 | CALLA | Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma CSCs | Surface metalopeptidase, expressed in lymphoid progenitor cells, and in immature B cells in the bone marrow |