POU5F1 and hepatocellular carcinoma: In the real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis, HCC and CRC cells underwent EMT with the decreased expression of epithelial cell marker ECAD18 and the increased expression of mesenchymal cell marker NCAD, VIM, ZEB1, CD44 and POU5F1 significantly16, 19 (Fig. 3b).