title: [Morphological observation of human gastric cancer cell SGC-7901 clones and identification of gastric cancer stem cells].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To dynamically investigate the morphology of human gastric cancer SGC-7901 cell clones, and then compare the tumorigenic ability of different clones in order to identify the tumor stem cell clones.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clones derived from gastric cancer SGC-7901 cells were assessed by morphological observation, and the clone formation rate and proportion of each clone were calculated. The expression of CD44 and CDX2 in different clones was detected by immunofluorescence microscopy and Western blot. Furthermore, different clones were isolated and cultured, and their self-renewal property was assayed. Cells of different clones were subcutaneously inoculated into nude mice and the tumorigenic ability of each group was determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Clones derived from gastric cancer SGC-7901 cells had three types, i.e. clones of tight, transitional and loose types. The total clone formation rate was (9.80 ± 1.07)%, and the proportion of tight, transitional and loose type clones was 10.2%, 56.0% and 33.8%, respectively. The results of immunofluorescence microscopic examination showed that the signal of CD44 was significantly stronger in the tight clones than in the transitional and loose clones, however, the signal of CDX2 was weakest in the tight colonies. The results of Western blot were consistent with that of immunofluorescence microscopic observation. SGC-7901 cells of tight clones possessed strong ability of self-renewal and in vivo tumorigenicity in the nude mice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SGC-7901 cell clones vary in morphology and differentiation, and the tight type clones may include rich gastric cancer stem cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212001, China.
authors.forename: Hong-qiong
authors.initials: HQ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Zhi-hua
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: You-li
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Yin-huan
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000071616:CDX2 Transcription Factor; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002999:Clone Cells / Q000145:classification; D005260:Female; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D000071616:CDX2 Transcription Factor; C491270:CDX2 protein, human; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors