We systematically and comprehensively characterized E- and N-cadherin tissue expression in a large cohort of patients in normal liver, focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH), dysplastic nodules (DN), HCA, HCC, as well as respective cell cultures using protein biochemistry, immunohistochemistry, and laser scanning immunofluorescence microscopy. This evidence concerns the gene CDH2 and hepatocellular carcinoma.