CD44 and cancer: In keeping with this principle, to evaluate whether the defects in DNA damage/repair and the consequent genetic heterogeneity that we observed in CD44+/CD24− cells were sufficient to increase both the phenotypic diversity and adaptability of a cancer cell population, we artificially induced cells into a CD44+/CD24− state and tested the cells’ capabilities to adapt to different perturbations (i.e., exposure to different drugs).