Cancer Stem Cell Markers Antibody Sampler Pack

Cancer Stem Cell Markers Antibody Sampler Pack

The Cancer Stem Cell Markers Antibody Sampler Pack from Assay Genie brings together 8 rigorously validated antibodies spanning the key nodes of this pathway, supplied in a convenient 20µL trial size. It lets researchers screen an entire signalling axis in a single, cost-effective pack — validated for applications including ELISA, IF, IF/ICC, IHC, IHC-P, IP, WB — before committing to full-size vials. Each antibody is also available individually in a full 100µL size.

Cancer stem cells are a subpopulation of tumor cells defined by their capacity for self-renewal, multilineage differentiation, and tumor initiation, and they are implicated in metastasis, dormancy, and resistance to conventional therapy. These cells are identified and isolated using combinations of surface and intracellular markers, several of which also contribute functionally to the stem-like phenotype. The hyaluronan receptor CD44 mediates adhesion, migration, and signaling and is a widely used cancer stem-cell marker, frequently employed in combination with low expression of CD24 to enrich tumor-initiating populations in breast and other carcinomas. The pentaspan membrane glycoprotein CD133/PROM1 marks stem-like cells in numerous tumors, while the epithelial cell adhesion molecule EpCAM identifies tumor-initiating and circulating tumor cells. The detoxifying enzyme ALDH1A1 confers high aldehyde dehydrogenase activity that is both a functional assay readout and a contributor to chemoresistance. Underlying the stem-like state is a core transcriptional network of pluripotency factors, comprising Sox2, Oct4, and Nanog, which cooperate to sustain self-renewal, suppress differentiation, and reprogram tumor cells toward a stem-like identity; their reactivation in tumors correlates with aggressiveness and poor prognosis. Because cancer stem cells survive treatments that eliminate the bulk tumor, they are considered a key source of minimal residual disease and relapse, motivating therapeutic strategies aimed at their elimination or forced differentiation. Accurate identification of these cells requires marker panels rather than single antigens, given heterogeneity across and within tumor types. Profiling surface markers together with the pluripotency transcription factors and ALDH1A1 enables robust characterization of stem-like subpopulations. This pack brings together validated antibodies against CD44, CD133/PROM1, ALDH1A1, Sox2, Oct4, Nanog, CD24, and EpCAM for studying cancer stem cells.