VIM and hepatocellular carcinoma: In our previous study, the extracted CAFs were identified by immunofluorescence staining of α-SMA and Vimentin, and the morphological characteristics of CAFs could be observed [18], as shown in Fig. 1A. The distribution of CAFs in HCC tissues can be aggregated, sporadic, and localized along hepatic sinusoids, Fig. 1B showed two different distributions of CAFs in HCC.