JAK2 mRNA levels were elevated in sphere-cultured CRC cells compared with those in monolayer-cultured CRC cells, with increases in stemness regulators, such as POU5F1 and SOX2, and decreases in differentiation markers, such as ALPI1 and FBP1P (Additional file 4: Figure S3A). Here, SOX2 is linked to colorectal carcinoma.