Evaluation and isolation of cancer stem cells using ALDH activity assay

Abstract

The aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) is a polymorphic enzyme responsible for the oxidation of aldehydes to carboxylic acids. In this chapter, it is described the role of ALDH in the identification of cancer stem cells (CSCs), having been shown that stem cells express high levels of ALDH. Here, we present a method called ALDEFLUOR assay used for the identification, evaluation, and isolation of normal, cancer stem and progenitor cells.