Influence of oxygen tension on CD133 phenotype in human glioma cell cultures

Under standard culture conditions, tumor cells are exposed to 20% O-2, whereas the mean tumor oxygen levels within the tumor are much lower. We demonstrate, using low-passaged human tumor cell cultures established from glioma, that a reduction in the oxygen level in these cell cultures dramatically increases the percentage of CD133 expressing cells. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.