中国生物工程杂志

Abstract: In stem cell research, more and more attentions were paid on the SP cells, now SP cells were detected in a variety of biological tissues, and they were similar with the stem cells of the same tissue in function and molecular markers on the surface. Especially in research of tumor stem cells, recently it was found that SP cells had the characteristics of tumor stem cells. They were isolated from tumor cells, and cultured ,which can be used to study some characteristics of tumor stem cells.But more reseachs need be done for SP cells.