Cells freshly isolated from OSCC tumours survive poorly ex vivo, so we assessed their attributes by direct antibody staining of FACS sorted post-EMT CD44highEpCAMlow/− CD24+ and CD44highEpCAMlow/− CD24− fractions and epithelial CD44+ EpCAMhighCD24+ and CD44+ EpCAMhighCD24− fractions from 7 specimens (Figs. 4C and S4B–S4H). Here, CD44 is linked to neoplasm.