Specifically, CSC expression of epithelial splicing regulatory protein 1, a key transcription factor required to control the transition from CD44v to CD44s in EMT, can be inhibited by Zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1) (Preca et al., 2015); CD44s in turn induces ZEB1 expression to form a self-sustaining loop that further facilitates the EMT process, enabling cancer cells to acquire stemness without external stimuli (Park et al., 2016). The gene discussed is ZEB1; the disease is cancer.