Functional studies revealed that CXCR4 is enriched in HCC angiogenic tip cells and overexpression of CXCR4 in ECs could stimulate vessel formation and sproutingin vivo andin vitro, implicating an important role for CXCR4+ TECs in angiogenesis92. This evidence concerns the gene CXCR4 and hepatocellular carcinoma.