In addition, as shown in Figure 2D, although several of the variable CD44 exons were uniformly translated across SW480-FR/SQ tumor subsets, mRNA levels of CD44v6 appeared considerably higher in bulk parental primary tumors cells, freshly purified CD133(+) cells, EpCAM(+) cells, Sphere-propagated FACS sorted ALDH1(+)CD133(+)EpCAM(+) cells (Sphere/ALDH1(+)/CD133+/EpCAM+) cells, and in Sphere-propagated FACS sorted CD44v6(+)ALDH1(+)CD133(+)EpCAM(+) cells (Sphere/CICs) from SW480-FR/SQ tumor cells (Figure 2D). The gene discussed is CD44; the disease is neoplasm.