title: [Identification and characterization of SP cells in human lung adenocarcinoma SPC-A1 cells.].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recently, eloquent studies from some solid tumors have provided proofs that cancers originate from cancer stem cells (CSC). The discovery of CSC has changed our view of carcinogenesis and chemotherapy. The aim of this study is to identify and characterize the CSC population that drives and maintains lung adenocarcinoma growth and metastasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Side population (SP) cell analysis combined with serum-free media (SFM) were applied to established human lung adenocarcinoma cell lines. Properties of SP cells were evaluated by their proliferative index, colony-forming efficiency and tumorigenic potential.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Characteristic SP cells could be detected by FACS in lung adenocarcinoma cell lines. And the proportion of SP cells is greatly increased after serum-free culture. SP cells have a greater proliferative index, a higher colony-forming efficiency and a greater ability to form tumor in vivo .
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SP cells exist in human lung adenocarcinoma cell lines and they could be further enriched by preliminary serum-free culture before FACS sorting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Nanjing General Hospital of Nanjing Military Command, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210002, China.
authors.forename: Yanliang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Longbang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jinghua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiaoyuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Yitian
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Qun
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xinyi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xia