HGF, a heparin-binding factor, binds to a specific proto-oncogene tyrosine kinase receptor (C-MET) to stimulate hepatocytes by maintaining proliferation, promoting epithelial-mesenchymal transformation (EMT), and ultimately leading to invasion and metastasis during the malignant transformation of HCC (91, 92). Here, HGF is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.