A novel fixative for immunofluorescence staining of CD133-positive glioblastoma stem cells

Isolation of glioblastoma stem cells requires incubation of tumor cells in a neural stem cell media. Neurospheres containing these glioblastoma stem cells are formed after approximately a five-day period. These cells can then be analyzed for the presence of stem cell markers. Immunofluorescence staining for these markers can serve as a valuable tool for analyzing the intact neurosphere directly in stem cell media. Here we present the use of a novel fixative (1,4-benzoquinone) for immunoflourescence staining of neurospheres.