Evaluation of the expression of TFR1 (TFRC), TFR2, HFE, HJV (HFE2), and SLC40A1 in proliferative hepatocytes of HCC and para-carcinoma tissues (Additional file 8: Figure S6) revealed no significant differences in expression between the two types of proliferative hepatocytes and between hepatocytes from HCC and para-carcinoma tissues (Additional file 1: Tables S5, S6). Here, HFE is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.