Authors
Shyam Patel and Pranela Rameshwar
Summary
The tumorsphere assay allows one to assess whether a single cell harbors the potential to both initiate and maintain tumors in the absence of cellular interaction and adhesion. Stem cells are capable of unlimited self-renewal ability, and unique subsets of cancer cells that acquire stem cell properties have the theoretical ability to form de novo tumors when grown under low-attachment conditions within minimal growth factor supplementation. Primary stem cells and progenitor cells from the breast can be enriched within mammospheres, a concept that is analogous to neural stem cell enrichment in neurospheres. Tumorigenic efficiency of a subset of cancer cells can be determined based on number of spheres that emerge from single cells. On the contrary, cancer cells that lack stem cell properties have limited sphere-forming potential due to telomere loss and cellular senescence.Further details
The protocol was published on Protocol Exchange on 11 February 2013. To see the entire protocol, click on the source link.Advertisement
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