Our recent study showed that dedifferentiated, mesenchymal‐like HCC cell lines secrete more TGF‐β than epithelial HCC cells and exhibit higher migratory abilities.18 Two of these mesenchymal‐like cell lines, SNU449 and HLF (hepatic leukemia factor), were further investigated and exploited as cellular models. The gene discussed is HLF; the disease is hepatocellular carcinoma.