ρ⁰ glioma cells form neurosphere-like tumor spheroids expressing neural stem cell markers, nestin and CD133.

<p>A) Phase contrast microphotographs (magnification X20) of ρ⁰ glioma forming (a) neurosphere-like structures in serumless Neurobasal medium supplement with EGF and FGF after 10 days in culture or (b) adherent culture in DMEM/F12 medium with 7% FBS. B) Spheroids of ρ⁰ cells were immunostained with (b) CD133 or (c) Nestin antibodies or nuclear counterstained with Hoechst 33258 (a). C) Differentiation potential of ρ⁰ tumor spheroids. Multipotency was assayed by immunofluorescence for neuronal (βIII-tubulin) (a, c) and glial (GFAP) (b a, c) markers.