The morphological transition of TVM-A12 melanoma cells from adherent to suspended cellular aggregates, observed in X-VIVO medium, was accompanied by significant down-regulation of cell surface molecules such as HLA-I, Melan-A/MART-1 antigen, ICAM-1 and c-Kit, by maintenance or increase of tumour metastasis-associated markers such CXCR4 and CD10, and the increase of putative markers of CSCs such as CD133, Nestin, and NGF-R. This evidence concerns the gene NES and melanoma.