CD44 and neoplasm: A CD44 variant (CD44v), highly expressed in PDAC CSC-like cells (Miyatake et al., 2018), interacts with xCT, a glutamate-cystine transporter, enhances capacity for glutathione (GSH) synthesis to defend against reactive oxygen species (ROS), and thereby maintains CSC and stimulates tumor growth (Ishimoto et al., 2011).