Hematopoiesis-related genes, such as RUNX1, CD44, GFI1B, SPI1, GATA2, and MYB, were highly expressed in cluster4_RUNX1, whereas endothelial genes (CDH5 and EFNB2) and angiogenesis regulators (TEK and FLI1) showed low expression in cluster4_RUNX1 (Fig. 5b), indicating that the cells lost endothelial characteristics and became precursor hematopoietic cells (pre-HE). Here, CD44 is linked to hereditary elliptocytosis.