To directly establish the ability of different liver cells to become cancer-initiating CoO (i.e. to acquire cancer stem cell, CSC, properties), primary HPC, lineage-committed hepatoblasts (HB), and differentiated adult hepatocytes (AH) were transduced with transgenes encoding oncogenic Hras and SV40 Large T antigen LT (SV40LT). The gene discussed is HRAS; the disease is cancer.