CXCR4 and colorectal carcinoma: And a recent study also showed that CRC cells are able to interact with hepatic stellate cells to promote the secretion of stromal cell-derived factor 1 (SDF 1) and bind to C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4) and induce the expression and secretion of TGF-β in CRC cells, which ultimately leads to the differentiation of hepatic stellate cells into CAFs, whereas the blockade of the CXCR4/TGF-β pathway inhibits the differentiation of hepatic CAFs and the metastasis of CRC to the liver (Tan et al., 2020).