Cell culture Dulbecco’s modifed Eagle’s medium (DMEM), and fetal bovine serum (FBS) were purchased from Life Technologies, Inc. (Gaithersburg, MD,USA). PD98059, Ly294002, SB203580 and Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) were products of Sigma (St Louis, MO, USA). Anti-ANX-1 monoclonal antibody was purchased from BD Biosciences (Lexington, KY, USA). Cell culture SAS cells were maintained in DMEM supplemented with 10% heat-inactivated FBS, penicillin (100 UAmL)1), and streptomycin (100 lgAmL)1) at 37 o C under 5% CO2 atmosphere. For Western blot analysis, cells were seeded into 10 cm dishes at 2 x 106 cells per dish. After 18–24 hr, cells were further grown in the same medium supplemented without FBS for 24 h. Serum-starved cells were treated with HGF in the indicated times. For immunostaining, 2 x 105 cells grown on cover slides (22 x 22 mm) were starved for 24 h before stimulation with HGF.