Similar Population of CD133+ and DDX4+ VSEL-Like Stem Cells Sorted from Human Embryonic Stem Cell, Ovarian, and Ovarian Cancer Ascites Cell Cultures: The Real Embryonic Stem Cells?

ABSTRACT: A population of small stem cells with diameters of up to 5 μm resembling very small embryonic-like stem cells (VSELs) were sorted from human embryonic stem cell (hESC) cultures using magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS) based on the expression of a stem-cell-related marker prominin-1 (CD133). These VSEL-like stem cells had nuclei that almost filled the whole cell volume and expressed stem-cell-related markers (CD133, SSEA-4) and markers of germinal lineage (DDX4/VASA, PRDM14). They were comparable to similar populations of small stem cells sorted from cell cultures of normal ovaries and were the predominant cells in ascites of recurrent ovarian cancer. The sorted populations of CD133+ VSEL-like stem cells were quiescent in vitro, except for ascites, and were highly activated after exposu

SUBMITTER: Virant-Klun I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6678667 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature