Improved method increases sensitivity for circulating hepatocellular carcinoma cells

Figure 3 Improved circulating tumor cell detection sensitivity. A: Immunofluorescence staining of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) (arrow) detected in blood from hepatocellular carcinoma patients with antibodies against asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASPGR) and/or carbamoyl phosphate synthetase 1 (CSP1) (red), and CD45 (green) with nuclear DAPI staining (blue) (magnification × 400); B: CTC numbers detected in the same HCC patients using the currently described method of CD45⁺ depletion and ASPGR⁺/CSP1⁺ immunostaining (green squares) and a previously described method with ASPGR⁺ selection followed by staining with cytokeratin and CSP1 antibodies (purple diamonds); C: The current method showed higher detection sensitivity in all patients with > 40 CTCs.