Ovarian cancer stem cells and methods of isolation and uses thereof

An assay comprising:

• (a) contacting a biological sample from a subject with at least one detectable antibody specific to CD44, CD24, EpCam and Ecadherin;
• (b) washing the sample to remove unbound antibodies,
• (c) measuring the intensity of the signal from the bound, detectable antibody to CD44, CD24, EpCam and E-cadherin,
• (d) comparing the measured intensity of the signal of CD44, CD24, EpCam and Ecadherin to a reference value for each of CD44, CD24, EpCam and Ecadherin expression levels, and if there is a measured intensity of CD44, CD24, EpCam is at or increased relative for a reference value for CD44, CD24, EpCam and the measured intensity of Ecadherin is decreased relative to a reference value for Ecadherein, and
• (e) identifying the subject has having increased probability of having chemotherapeutic resistant ovarian cancer.

A method for screening potential ovarian cancer therapeutics which comprises:

• (f) growing CD44+/CD24+/EpCam+/ECad− ovarian cancer stem cells in the presence of a compound suspected as being a chemotherapeutic,
• (g) growing said CD44+/CD24+/EpCam+/ECad− ovarian cancer stem cell in the absence of said compound,
• (h) determining the rate of growth of said CD44+/CD24+/EpCam+/ECad− cells in the presence of said compound and the rate of said CD44+/CD24+/EpCam+/ECad− ovarian cancer cells in the absence of said compound, and
• (i) comparing the growth rate of said CD44+/CD24+/EpCam+/ECad− cells, wherein a slower rate of growth of said CD44+/CD24+/EpCam+/ECad− cell in the presence of said compound is indicative of a ovarian cancer therapeutic.