Cadherins are calcium-dependent cell adhesion proteins. They preferentially interact with themselves in a homophilic manner in connecting cells; cadherins may thus contribute to the sorting of heterogeneous cell types. Cadherin-1 (CDH1) is also known as epithelial cadherin (E-cadherin), CD_antigen (CD324), Uvomorulin (UVO) ECAD and CDHE, CDH1 / CD324 contains 5 cadherin domains. CDH1 / CD324 / ECAD is expressed in non-neural epithelial tissues. CDH1 / E-CAD is involved in mechanisms regulating cell-cell adhesions, mobility and proliferation of epithelial cells and has a potent invasive suppressor role. It is a ligand for integrin alpha-E/beta-7. E-Cad promotes non-amyloidogenic degradation of Abeta precursors and has a strong inhibitory effect on APP C99 and C83 production. Defects in CDH1 / CD324 / ECAD are the cause of hereditary diffuse gastric cancer (HDGC).