Or CD34. A CD452Nestin+ population has been described in the bone marrow by Mendez-Ferrer, et al. [27] and could correspond to that described by Sauerzweig, et al. [9] as small-sized nestin-positive bone marrow stem cell (SD-BMSC). The presence of mesenchymal Xpressed the Ste2p in relatively low expression manner [13], our result progenitors could account for the presence of pluripotency markers whose expression has been reported in mesenchymal stem cells [16]. However, more studies are needed to clarify the relation between them. The Lin2CD452 fraction we isolated consists of a population of small cells with a high nuclear/cytoplasmic ratio. Our observations under the fluorescent microscope showed the cells having a high nuclear/cytoplasmic ratio but their size was slightly biggerhUCB ELSc Are a Heterogeneous Populationthan determined by flow cytometry (6?0 mm). This is consistent with some previous findings [3,23,28]. However, unlike in some studies, where this fraction did not seem to incorporate the DNA stain Hoechst [5,23,25], in the study shown here, all nuclei of the cells isolated were Hoechst-positive. Bhartiya et al suggested that the lack of Hoechst labelling in quiescent cells was a consequence of these cells containing euchromatin. However, this explanation to explain this phenomenon still needs to be investigated as other groups have described the labelling by Hoechst in quiescent populations using immunohistochemistry [29]. Storms, et al. [30] reported a Hoechst dye negative population of high pluripotency and used flow cytometric sorting to select a small quiescent population (which they named “side population”) from bone marrow and cord blood. It will have to be established whether Ind both molybdate and the adenylated form of cyclic pyranopterin monophosphate differences in Hoechst binding to the DNA of Lin2CD452 reflects a true difference between the populations isolated in different laboratories, or is due to differences in the handling of the cells. Recently, Danova-Alt et al. have reported a Lin2CD452CXCR4+ population from hUCB that lacks stem cell characteristics and displays an aneuploid karyotype [23]. These results are in stark contrast to previous reports [3,7,21], but similar to the findings presented in this study, that provides a novel and comprehensive approach to defining the function and nature of these cells. Danova-Alt et al. however, have mostly focused on the Lin2CD452CXCR4+/CD34+ populations, and neglected the Hoechst negative population within the flow cytometry sorted cells previously described by other groups [6,12,30]. In our study, haematopoietic stem and mature cells were excluded using an anti-biotin selection antibodies. Using this approach a population of small Lin2CD452 cells with the lower possible number of haematopoietic contaminants could be isolated, with the main contaminant being platelets. These events are normally excluded using flow cytometry-based protocols for HSC [4,19,20]. Therefore, during our analysis a gating strategy based on that proposed by Zuba-Surma et al. [4] was employed. This resulted in a similar population as reported by Zuba-Surma et al. with the exception that CD133+ cells were undetectable. This is, however, consistent with the report by Danova-Alt et al. [23]. Previous studies have 23977191 classified these cells based on their phenotypical properties, including “embryonic-like stem cells” [4,5,7,23]. Here we highlight the difficulties in expanding the Lin2CD452 stem cell population. These results are not unprecedented, as other groups have also reported similar problems with the expansion of this population [3,4.Or CD34. A CD452Nestin+ population has been described in the bone marrow by Mendez-Ferrer, et al. [27] and could correspond to that described by Sauerzweig, et al. [9] as small-sized nestin-positive bone marrow stem cell (SD-BMSC). The presence of mesenchymal progenitors could account for the presence of pluripotency markers whose expression has been reported in mesenchymal stem cells [16]. However, more studies are needed to clarify the relation between them. The Lin2CD452 fraction we isolated consists of a population of small cells with a high nuclear/cytoplasmic ratio. Our observations under the fluorescent microscope showed the cells having a high nuclear/cytoplasmic ratio but their size was slightly biggerhUCB ELSc Are a Heterogeneous Populationthan determined by flow cytometry (6?0 mm). This is consistent with some previous findings [3,23,28]. However, unlike in some studies, where this fraction did not seem to incorporate the DNA stain Hoechst [5,23,25], in the study shown here, all nuclei of the cells isolated were Hoechst-positive. Bhartiya et al suggested that the lack of Hoechst labelling in quiescent cells was a consequence of these cells containing euchromatin. However, this explanation to explain this phenomenon still needs to be investigated as other groups have described the labelling by Hoechst in quiescent populations using immunohistochemistry [29]. Storms, et al. [30] reported a Hoechst dye negative population of high pluripotency and used flow cytometric sorting to select a small quiescent population (which they named “side population”) from bone marrow and cord blood. It will have to be established whether differences in Hoechst binding to the DNA of Lin2CD452 reflects a true difference between the populations isolated in different laboratories, or is due to differences in the handling of the cells. Recently, Danova-Alt et al. have reported a Lin2CD452CXCR4+ population from hUCB that lacks stem cell characteristics and displays an aneuploid karyotype [23]. These results are in stark contrast to previous reports [3,7,21], but similar to the findings presented in this study, that provides a novel and comprehensive approach to defining the function and nature of these cells. Danova-Alt et al. however, have mostly focused on the Lin2CD452CXCR4+/CD34+ populations, and neglected the Hoechst negative population within the flow cytometry sorted cells previously described by other groups [6,12,30]. In our study, haematopoietic stem and mature cells were excluded using an anti-biotin selection antibodies. Using this approach a population of small Lin2CD452 cells with the lower possible number of haematopoietic contaminants could be isolated, with the main contaminant being platelets. These events are normally excluded using flow cytometry-based protocols for HSC [4,19,20]. Therefore, during our analysis a gating strategy based on that proposed by Zuba-Surma et al. [4] was employed. This resulted in a similar population as reported by Zuba-Surma et al. with the exception that CD133+ cells were undetectable. This is, however, consistent with the report by Danova-Alt et al. [23]. Previous studies have 23977191 classified these cells based on their phenotypical properties, including “embryonic-like stem cells” [4,5,7,23]. Here we highlight the difficulties in expanding the Lin2CD452 stem cell population. These results are not unprecedented, as other groups have also reported similar problems with the expansion of this population [3,4.