EpCAM-positive HB and HCC cells exhibited greater self-renewal and tumorigenicity than their EpCAM-negative counterparts or EpCAM-positive fetal hepatocytes.
By immunohistochemistry, 8/24 (33%) cases of HCC were K19+ and 18/24 (75%) were EpCAM+, 5/10 (50%) cases of HB were K19+ and 7/10 (70%) were EpCAM+ and 3/6 (50%) cases of HCC/HB were K19+ and 5/6 (83%) were EpCAM+.