CASP3 and neoplasm: TUNEL and cleaved Caspase-3 staining demonstrated variable numbers of apoptotic cells prior to tumour dissociation, at levels somewhat higher than previously reported34, and while pre-dissociation viability appeared to be associated with subsequent tumourigenic potential, the number of apoptotic cells in fragments was not associated with delays in time to processing, and thus were likely an intrinsic property of individual patient samples.