Cancer stem cells belong to a small population of cells within the tumor with properties of self-renewal and differentiation into other cell types. In this study, the behavior of both portions, mesenchymal and epithelial, was evaluated. Six carcinosarcomas (CSs), 11 carcinomas within mixed tumors (CWMTs) grade I, 11 grade II, and 10 grade III were evaluated. In the epithelial portions of the CS and CWMTs was observed immunostaining for antibodies CD44, CD24, Oct-4 and ALDH-1. In the mesenchymal portions of the CS, in the epithelial portions of CMTs grades II and III no immunostaining for ALDH-1 was found. It was concluded that the tumor stem cells are expressed in equal proportions in the epithelial and mesenchymal portions of the CS. No immunostaining in the mesenchymal portions of well-differentiated CWMTs was seen.
CD44; CD24; Oct-4; ALDH-1; mammary neoplasms; diseases of dogs
