CD44 and HCELL: Preventing hematogenous metastasis at step 1

► HCELL, a sialofucosylated glycoform of CD44, is the most potent E-/L-selectin ligand on human cells. ► Metastasis is facilitated by selectin-mediated interactions. ► E-Selectin facilitates metastasis to the liver, lungs and bone marrow. ► HCELL is the principal protein scaffold for E-selectin ligands on cancer cells. ► HCELL mediates interaction between cancer cells and endothelial cells, leukocytes and platelets.