The balance between the signals that are generated by Ang1 and Ang2 has pathological effects–the Ang1/Ang2 equilibrium is altered in cancers, such as HCC, a highly vascularized tumor [21], [22], [23], and in diverse chronic liver diseases, such as primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and viral hepatitis B and C [24], [25], [26], [27], implicating angiopoietins as biomarkers of liver disease progression and putative therapeutic targets [28], [29]. The gene discussed is ANGPT1; the disease is hepatitis B virus infection.