CD44 and nasopharyngeal carcinoma: Genes such as CD44, a well-recognized CSCs marker in NPC; gene sets regulating stemness; gene sets involved in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and gene sets associated with hypoxia all displayed varying levels of activation in NR cells compared to other cellular states (Fig. 4B), hinting that these cells may possess stronger self-renewal and migration capacity.