Hepatic stellate cells promote liver metastasis of colon cancer cells by the action of SDF-1/CXCR4 axis.

Background It has been determined that the chemokine receptor CXCR4 and its ligand stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) regulate several key processes in a wide variety of cancers. However, the function and mechanism of the SDF-1/CXCR4 system in the metastasis of colorectal cancer remain controversial.