CD248 and hepatocellular carcinoma: M2-TAMs are known to promote angiogenesis, immunosuppression, and tumor invasion and metastasis.[62] Several studies have revealed that CAFs recruit monocytes to tumor cells and facilitate their differentiation into M2-TAMs through the CXCL12/CXCR4 pathway.[41,63,64] Additionally, Yang et al[42] reported that CAFs in hepatocellular carcinoma express high levels of endosialin (CD248), which interacted with CD68 to recruit monocytes and modulate GAS6 expression in CAFs, inducing M2 polarization.