Fig. 4

Both NADH^high and CD133⁺ glioma cells possess the properties of GSCs, but are independent each other. a qRT-PCR analysis showing upregulated stemness-related transcription factor genes Nanog, Oct4, Oligo2, and Sox2 in NADH^high CD133⁺, NADH^high CD133⁻, and NADH^low CD133⁺ subpopulations, compared to NADH^low CD133⁻ in GBM1 and LN229. b, c Limiting dilution assay showed increased sphere formation rate and sphere average diameter of NADH^high/CD133⁺, NADH^high/CD133⁻, and NADH^low/CD133⁺ subpopulations, compared to NADH^low CD133⁻cells in GBM1 and LN229 cell lines. All data are presented as the means ± SD. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001 (n = 3 independent experiments)