CDH11 and breast cancer: With the understanding that CAFs are CDH11-overexpressing and are important active cellular components of the tumor niche which invariably plays a critical role in the induction or facilitation of tumor invasion and metastasis [20], we examined its role in breast oncogenicity and metastasis, and demonstrated that CAF-induced overexpression of CDH11 and the ensuing CDH11-enriched TME enhance the metastatic potential of breast cancer cells (Fig. 2).