To explore the in vivo role of Furin in hepatocellular carcinoma, the Furin gene was inactivated in the hepatocytes of ASV-B mice using the Cre/LoxP system. Furin was genetically ablated in the HCC tumors and in the livers of littermate control mice via intercrossing with Alb-Cre mice as described in materials and methods. Here, ALB is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.