These included elevated expression of multidrug resistance and cancer stemness-associated genes (MDR1, MRP1, ABCG2, CD24, CD44, CD133, ALDHA1, CXCR4, Sox2, Oct4, Nanog, and KLF4), upregulated anti-apoptotic molecules (Bcl-xL) with concomitant downregulation of pro-apoptotic markers (Bax, Bad, and Cleaved PARP), and retention of hepatocyte functional markers (albumin, CYP1A1, CYP1A2, CYP3A4, and HNF4A). Here, CD44 is linked to cancer.