From association to intervention: Rethinking CD24’s causal role in hepatocellular carcinogenesis

Figure 2 Spatial heterogeneity of cluster of differentiation 24 expression in the hepatocellular carcinoma tumor microenvironment. A: Spatial transcriptomics visualization showing zonal distribution of cluster of differentiation 24 (CD24)-high malignant hepatocytes adjacent to M2-polarized tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs); B: Multiplex immunofluorescence demonstrating co-localization of CD24, programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), and CD68 in peritumoral hypoxic niches; C: Single-cell trajectory analysis revealing developmental progression from CD24-low to CD24-high tumor cell states with concurrent acquisition of stemness markers (CD44, epithelial cell adhesion molecule [EpCAM]).