FOXA1 and hepatocellular carcinoma: Foxa1 has long been recognized as a factor for the formation of foregut definitive endoderm (DE) cells and further liver bud development by decompacting chromatin and repositioning nucleosomes.36, 37 Recently, Foxa1 has been found to exert a dominant role in male HCC development by recruiting androgen receptor (AR) to its binding sites.38 To understand the regulatory function of Foxa1 in activation of the tumorigenesis, 667 Foxa1/AR dual-associated targets38 were intersected with the 558 differently expressed genes in the differentiated ES-Hepa hybrids group.