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Fig. 2 | Molecular Cancer

Fig. 2

From: Cancer stem cell niche models and contribution by mesenchymal stroma/stem cells

Fig. 2

Formation of putative in vitro CSCN-like structures of primary human breast cancer-derived epithelial cells (HBCECs). Long-term cultivation of primary HBCEC416 (passage 2) for 47 days (a) and HBCEC383 (passage 1) for 241 days (b) [105] was associated with development of a central area with small proliferative active cells surrounded by a circle of larger growth-reduced and senescent cells demonstrating partial vesicle accumulation and release (arrows). Together with gradients of various soluble factors, these biological material-containing stimulatory vesicles may contribute to development of small-sized breast cancer stem-like cells and self-renewal. This is also substantiated by a significant expression of IL8 (PCR primer sense: 5′-AAAAAGCCACCGGAGCACT-3′; antisense: 5′-TTTCTGTGTTGGCGCAGTGT-3′; amplification product: 279 bp) in the corresponding HBCECs as compared to normal juvenile HMECs in P13 or growth-arrested and aged HMECs in P15 [74, 75] with β-actin as a control (c). Further supportive evidence is provided in breast and pancreatic cancer cells with IL8 expression by CSCs [102, 104, 106]

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