We therefore examined the expression of human COX7A1 in three types of sarcomas (osteosarcoma, liposarcoma, and rhabdomyosarcoma) and compared them to corresponding normal embryonic progenitors (osteochondral (4D20.8), adipocyte (E3) and myogenic (SK5)), as well as corresponding adult-derived cells (normal bone marrow derived MSCs (hMSC-BM), subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT)-derived preadipocytes, and myoblasts). The gene discussed is COX7A1; the disease is rhabdomyosarcoma.