ALDH2 and cancer: Whereas the mesenchymal marker vimentin was expressed at significantly higher levels by SSEA-4high than by SSEA-4low subpopulations (p = 0.006) (Fig. 3E), neither E-cadherin (Fig. 3E), an epithelial marker, nor any of 3 EMT-associated transcription factors, Snail, Twist and ZEB1 (Fig. 3F) or markers associated with cancer stem-like cells/cancer-initiating cells (ABCG2, ALDH2) (Fig. 3G) were differentially expressed.