ACTA1 and neoplasm: CAFs are one of the most abundant stromal cell population in the tumor microenvironment, performing diverse functions such as synthesis and remodeling of the ECM, promoting migration, invasion, and metastasis, and affecting immune cell function.63,64 CAFs are a heterogeneous population of cells derived from multiple cellular sources.63 Here, α-SMA, which is expressed by most CAFs,65 increased with VEGF overexpression.