Aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity has been implicated in multiple biological and biochemical pathways and has been used to identify potential cancer stem cells. Our main hypothesis is that ALDH activity may be a lung cancer stem cell marker. Using flow cytometry, we sorted cells with bright (ALDH br ) and dim (ALDH lo ) ALDH activity found in H522 lung cancer cell line. We used in vitro proliferation and colony assays as well as a xenograft animal model to test our hypothesis. Cytogenetic analysis demonstrated that the ALDH br cells are indeed a different clone, but when left in normal culture conditions will give rise to ALDH lo cells. Furthermore, the ALDH br cells grow slower, have low clonal efficiency, and give rise to morphologically distinct colonies. The ability to form primary xenografts in NOD/SCID mice by ALDH br and ALDH lo cells was tested by injecting single cell suspension under the skin in each flank of same animal. Tumor size was calculated weekly. ALDH1A1 and ALDH3A1 immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed on excised tumors. These tumors were also used to re-establish cell suspension, measure ALDH activity, and re-injection for secondary and tertiary transplants. The results indicate that both cell types can form tumors but the ones from ALDH br cells grew much slower in primary recipient mice. Histologically, there was no significant difference in the expression of ALDH in primary tumors originating from ALDH br or ALDH lo cells. Secondary and tertiary xenografts originating from ALDH br grew faster and bigger than those formed by ALDH lo cells. In conclusion, ALDH br cells may have some of the traditional features of stem cells in terms of being mostly dormant and slow to divide, but require support of other cells (ALDH lo ) to sustain tumor growth. These observations and the known role of ALDH in drug resistance may have significant therapeutic implications in the treatment of lung cancer.

About 1% of individuals with autism or types of pervasive developmental disorder have a duplication of the 15q11-q13 region. These abnormalities can be detected by routine G-banded chromosome study, showing an extra marker chromosome, or demonstrated by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis, revealing an interstitial duplication. We report here the molecular, cytogenetic, clinical and neuropsychiatric evaluations of a family in whom 3 of 4 siblings inherited an interstitial duplication of 15q11-q13. This duplication was inherited from their mother who also had a maternally derived duplication. Affected family members had apraxia of speech, phonological awareness deficits, developmental language disorder, dyslexia, as well as limb apraxia but did not have any dysmorphic clinical features. The observations in this family suggest that the phenotypic manifestations of proximal 15q duplications may also involve language-based learning disabilities.

Detailed chromosome studies were conducted for the Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) utilizing primary chromosome banding techniques (G-and Q-banding). Digital microscopic imaging methods were employed and a standard G-banded karyotype was constructed for both sexes. Based on chromosome banding patterns and measurements obtained in these studies, a standard karyotype and ideogram are proposed. Characterization of additional cytogenetic features of this species by supplemental chromosome banding techniques, C-banding (constitutive heterochromatin), Ag-NOR staining (nucleolar organizer regions), and DA/DAPI staining, was also performed. These studies provide detailed cytogenetic data for T. manatus latirostris, which could enhance future genetic mapping projects and interspecific and intraspecific genomic comparisons by techniques such as zoo-FISH.