Classical cadherins can be further subdivided into the type I classical cadherins consisting of CDH1 (E-cad), CDH2 (N-cad), CDH3 (P-cad), CDH4 (R-cad), and CDH15 (M-cad); the type II classical cadherins include CDH5 (VE-cad), CDH6 (K-cad), CDH7, CDH8, CDH9 (T1-cad), CDH10 (T2-cad), CDH11 (OB-cad), CDH12 (N-cad-2),
CDH18, CDH19, CDH20, CDH22, and CDH24.
All CDH genes (n = 27) screened in this study include CDH1 (E-cadherin), CDH2 (N-cadherin), CDH3 (P-cadherin), CDH4 (R-cadherin), CDH5 (VE-cadherin), CDH6 (K-cadherin), CDH7 (cadherin 7), CDH8 (cadherin 8), CDH9 (T1-cadherin), CDH10 (T2-cadherin), CDH11 (OB-cadherin), CDH12 (N-cadherin 2), CDH13 (H-cadherin), CDH15 (M-cadherin), CDH16 (KSP-cadherin), CDH17 (LI-cadherin),
CDH18 (cadherin 18), CDH20 (cadherin 20), PCDHGA12 (CDH21), CDH22 CDH23 CDH24 DCHS1 (CDH19, or CDH25), CDH26 DCHS2 (CDH27), CDHR3 (CDH28), and CDHR4 (CDH29).
Other genetic studies of keratocystic odontogenic tumors have detected deletions within cadherin-related genes (CDH5 and
CDH18), possibly providing an explanation for the frequently observed detachment of the cyst-lining epithelium from the under lying stroma, a histopathologic hallmark of these lesions (Figure 2).