Figure 5

Role of Activin/Nodal signaling in the generation of molecular heterogeneity. Ca1a cells were sorted into CD44^posCD24^neg and CD44^posCD24^pos populations. Cytospin prepared cells were stained for vimentin immediately following sorting (left two panels, bar represents 200 μm). Sorted cells were allowed to expand for 96 hr in the presence of vehicle (0.1% DMSO, middle two panels) or 10 μM SB-431542 (right two panels). Immunofluorescent staining of vimentin (green) and DAPI (blue) is presented. In the absence of drug, CD44^posCD24^poscells yield mesenchymal, vimentin positive progeny. Inhibition of Activin/Nodal signaling prevents this interconverstion.