On the basis of the cumulative results described above with normal liver vs. rapidly growing Morris hepatoma 3924A, and since HMGR is a membrane-integral protein of the ER, we questioned whether the significantly increased carbon flux from pyruvate to cholesterol in the tumor could be detected in a cell-free, post-mitochondrial supernatant system (PMS) incubation. The gene discussed is HMGA1; the disease is hepatocellular carcinoma.