RESUMEN
Objective To obtain colon cancer spheroid cells from human colon cancer cell lines cultured in serum-free medium (SFM),and investigate the proliferative and migratory properties of colon cancer spheroid cells.Methods Human colon cancer cell lines HCT116 and HT29 were cultured in SFM,and then the generation of spheroid cells was observed.The expression of stem cell surface marker CD133 was detected by flow cytometry,and the proliferative and migratory properties of colon cancer spheroid cells were detected by cell counting kit-8 and Transwell migration assay,respectively.All data were analyzed by using the t test.Results Spheroid cells were obtained from colon cancer cell lines HCT116 and HT29 in SFM.The ratios of spheroid cells with positive expression of CD133 generated by HCT116 and HT29 were 75.44％ ± 11.41％ and 76.22％ ± 14.23％,respectively.Compared with original colon cancer cells cultured in serum supplemented medium,the number of HCT116 and HT29 spheroid cells with positive expression of CD133 was significantly greater (t =11.43,9.17,P ＜ 0.05 ),and the proliferative and migratory abilities were much stronger also.Conclusion Colon cancer spheroid cells cultured in SFM have higher positive expression of CD133 and stronger proliferative and migratory abilities,and it can be utilized as a feasible model for further studies of colonic stem cells.