CSC+ and CSC− tumor cells display similar tumor-forming capacity upon co-transplantation.

(A and B) DsRed-labeled CSC+ and EGFP-labeled CSC− cells originating from the same tumor cell lines were mixed to their original ratio and co-transplanted into sublethally irradiated NOD-SCID mice. Photographs represent fluorescent images (A) and hematoxylin and eosin staining (B) of serial sections of the xenografts derived from KG-1, MCF-7, SHG44, Caco-2 and A375. Scale bar = 100 μm. (C) Flow cytometric contour plots show the percentage of DsRed and EGFP cells in the xenografts. (D) Histograms show the ratio of CSC+ to CSC− (DsRed:EGFP) cells in injections and the ratio of CSC+-derived to CSC−-derived (DsRed:EGFP) cells in xenografts. Data represent mean ± SEM from 3 independent experiments.