CD44 and breast carcinoma: Recent studies from our group reported that blood plasma triggers an adhesive phenotypic switch of breast cancer cells on E-selectin coated surfaces under flow by upregulating E-selectin ligand and glycan expression.5,8 In this study, similarly, plasma treatment was found to elevate CD44 expression for COLO 205 cells, in addition to inducing a preferential shift from the adherent to the suspended cells, suggesting a more invasive phenotype with stronger interaction with the inflamed endothelium.