title: [Preliminary study on biological characteristics of CD(44)(+) stem cells in human laryngeal carcinoma].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the biological characteristics of CD(44)(+) stem cells in human laryngeal carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tumor samples were obtained from 5 patients, and then the human laryngeal carcinoma cells were cultured in vitro by primary tissue culture technique. Taking CD44 molecule as a marker to isolate CD(44)(+) subpopulation cells from laryngeal carcinoma cells for further study. CD(44)(+) and CD(44)(-) cells were cultured and observed fex their development. CD(44)(+) and CD(44)(-) cells were compared in their functional status (mRNA), cell cycles (G0/G1), their degree of differentiation (CK14 and Involucrin expression) and their morphologic character of the clone.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The percentages of CD(44)(+) cells were about 49.8% approximately 53.5% and the median was 51.3%. After culturing CD(44)(+) cells isolated from laryngeal carcinoma could proliferate and the percentage of CD(44)(+) remained the same. CD(44)(+) tumor cells contained much less RNA, more G0/G1 cells, expressed more CK14 protein and less Involucrin protein (less differentiated state). CD(44)(+) cells were multangular in shape with protuberances; CD(44)(-) cells showed a sharp and spindle feature. In comparison with CD(44)(-) cells, CD(44)(+) cells could create heterogeneous offspring by single cell culture of limiting dilution. By observing clone forming rate after single cell planting, it was found that the CD(44)(+) cells had stronger proliferation ability.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CD(44)(+) cells possess some characteristics of stem cells, laryngeal carcinoma stem cells maybe exist in CD(44)(+) cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China.
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Chun-shun
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Yin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Cheng-bi
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism*; D002452:Cell Count; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000378:metabolism*; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors