Consistent with earlier reports that have linked chronic TGF‐β exposure to the acquisition of mesenchymal stem‐related traits in epithelial Hep3B and PLC/PRF/5 HCC cell lines [33], our results indicate that Huh7 or Hep3B subpopulations resuming proliferation following TGF‐β‐induced senescence may eventually acquire unique hallmarks associated with the functional and phenotypic plasticity of tumor cells. This evidence concerns the gene TGFB1 and neoplasm.