CXCL12 and neoplasm: For instance, recruitment of GSCs towards the SDF1-CXCR4 axis and subsequent activation by transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β, promoting cancer stemness and tumor metastasis), and hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1α, a transcriptional regulator for hypoxia-induced gene expression important in maintaining cell cycle quiescence and promote angiogenesis etc. Their findings demonstrated the elimination of GSCs differentiated pericytes (having the same genetic alteration as glioma cells) helps in tumor regression.