Determination of somatic and cancer stem cell self-renewing symmetric division rate using sphere assays.

ABSTRACT: Representing a renewable source for cell replacement, neural stem cells have received substantial attention in recent years. The neurosphere assay represents a method to detect the presence of neural stem cells, however owing to a deficiency of specific and definitive markers to identify them, their quantification and the rate they expand is still indefinite. Here we propose a mathematical interpretation of the neurosphere assay allowing actual measurement of neural stem cell symmetric division frequency. The algorithm of the modeling demonstrates a direct correlation between the overall cell fold expansion over time measured in the sphere assay and the rate stem cells expand via symmetric division. The model offers a methodology to evaluate specifically the effect of diseases and treatmen

SUBMITTER: Deleyrolle LP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3016423 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature