GJA1 and hepatocellular carcinoma: In line with our results, connexins, and in particular Cx43, have been shownto play a role in cancer cell migration and proliferation.35,36 In rat hepatocellular carcinoma cells,silencing Cx43 with siRNA resulted in a 30% decrease in cell migration, whereas in bonecells, increases in Cx43 showed a three- to fourfold increase in cell proliferation.37 In the current study, rPASMCs proliferated in response to 1% FBS to a similar degreeunder both normoxic and hypoxic conditions.