Table 1 Comparison of methods for CSC/TIC isolation

ABCG2, CD90, CD105, CD133, EpCAM

ALDH1

Flow cytometry

Renal: ACHN, KRC/Y

Sphere formation assay, drug sensitivity assay, in-vivo tumorigenicity

Ueda et al., 2013 [45]

Not examined

ALDH1

Flow cytometry

Ovary: AMOC-2, HUOA, OVCAR-3, ES-2, RMG-1, TOV-21G

Sphere formation assay, in-vivo tumorigenicity, invasion assay

Kuroda et al., 2013 [62]

ABCB1, ABCG2, ABCC1

Hoechst 33342

Flow cytometry

Renal: 769P, 786-O, OS-RC-2, SN12C, SKRC39

Drug sensitivity assay, clone formation, in-vivo tumorigenicity

Huang et al., 2013 [47]

Sox-2, POU5F1, Cdh1, Cdh2, Snai1, Snai2, Twist1, Twist2

Hoechst 33342

Flow cytometry

Renal: RENCA, ACHN, CAKI-1, SMKT-R2, SMKT-R3

In-vivo tumorigenicity

Nishizawa et al., 2012 [23]

CD3, CD4, CD8, CD24, CD44

Rhodamine

Flow cytometry

Renal: 786-O

Colony formation assay, radiation sensitivity assay, in-vivo tumorigenicity

Lu et al., 2013 [21]

CD24, CD44, CD31, CD146, CD90, CD73, CD29, CK7, CD133, Vimentin, Musashi, Nanog, Pax2, Oct-4

CD105-based cell selection

Magnetic-activated cell sorting

Renal carcinoma specimens

Sphere formation assay, in-vivo tumorigenicity

Bussolati et al., 2008 [2]

CD34, CD45, CD14, CD44, CD29, CD73, CD105, Pax2, CD117, Cytokeratin, Vimentin, E-cadherin

CD133-based cell selection

Magnetic-activated cell sorting

Renal carcinoma specimens

In-vivo tumorigenicity

Bruno et al., 2006 [8]

CD24, CD29, CD44, CD73, CD146, CXCR1, CD34, CD90, CD105, CD133, ALDH1, CD117, CXCR4, Nanog, POU5F1, Sox-2, Cytokeratin, Vimentin

CXCR4-based cell selection

Flow cytometry

Renal: RCC-26, RCC-53, SK-RC-17

In-vivo tumorigenicity, sphere formation assay, drug sensitivity assay

Gassenmaier et al., 2013 [14]

CD44, CD24, Sca1, Oct-4, Wnt, ABC white 2, β-Catenin,

Encapsulation of tumor colony

Cell recovery from 3D culture inside macrobeads

Renal: RENCA

Not examined

Smith et al., 2011 [66]

Breast: MMT, K12, MCF7

Uterus: JEG-3

Prostate: DU145

Colon: HCT116

Bladder: J82

Oct-4

Encapsulation of tumor colony

Cell recovery from 3D culture inside macrobeads

Renal (mice): RENCA

Chemotherapy sensitivity assay, in-vivo tumorigenicity

Gazda et al., 2013 [84]

CD133, CD34, CD24, CD14, CD105, CD45, Oct-3/4, Nanog, Sox-2, E-cadherin, VEGF R2/KDR/Flk1, HGC

CTR2⁺/CD133⁺/CD24⁺ cell selection

Flow cytometry

ccRCC specimens

In-vivo tumorigenicity, chemotherapy sensitivity assay, cell cloning and differentiation assay

Galleggiante et al., 2014 [9]

Oct-3/4, Nanog, Pax-2

ALDH1

Flow cytometry

Renal carcinoma specimens

In-vivo tumorigenicity, sphere formation assay, drug sensitivity assay

Wang et al., 2015 [63]

Renal: ACHN, CAKI-2