To extend these observations to a clinical context, we first separated and cultured primary CAFs from CRC patient tumors, and further confirmed that the CAFs were positive for fibroblast makers such as vimentin, FAP-1, and α-SMA, and negative for several epithelial cell markers including EpCAM, CDX2, and CK7 (Supplementary Figure S1f). This evidence concerns the gene EPCAM and colorectal carcinoma.