Thus, consistent with the cadherin switch theory in melanoma progression, our data show a strong link between high N-cadherin/low E-cadherin expression and tumor aggressiveness and defines M2 metastatic melanoma cells (Absent E-cadherin/high N-cadherin expression and highly tumorigenic and motile) as a pertinent model to study the possibility to revert the E- to N-cadherin switch and the metastasis phenotype. This evidence concerns the gene CDH17 and melanoma.