We found, that CD271 knock-down abolished the capacity of melanoma cells to form heterogeneous tumors most likely due to down-regulation of mediators of melanoma invasion and metastasis (GLI-2[21], SOX2[22]and ERBB3[23]), angiogenesis (IGFBP-2[24]), proliferation (FST[25] and MITF) or chemoresistence (RHOJ[26]). The gene discussed is SOX2; the disease is melanoma.