COL17A1 and cancer: COL17A1-KO CRC organoids expressed LGR5 but lost the expression of p27 in a similar way as it occurred in COL17A1-wild-type (WT) organoids, indicating that type XVII collagen regulated p27 expression independently from LGR5. COL17A1-KO organoids were more susceptible to chemotherapy treatment, suggesting that chemotherapy induces ECM remodeling and subsequently type XVII ectodomain shedding that would initiate the proliferation of dormant cancer cells.