It is important, because we have previously shown [37] that the threshold to induce ventricular fibrillation was significantly lower in wild type SHR males comparing to normotensive Wistar rats, while females, regardless the strain, are less prone to malignant arrhythmias, in part due to a higher level of Cx43 expression most likely induced by estrogen [38]. Here, GJA1 is linked to ventricular fibrillation.