Two significant studies were conducted to test the validity of the hypothesis: (1) in the BCS animal model and clinical studies, the relationship between liver fibrosis severity and the expression of HIF and CD248/endosialin in HSC was investigated; and (2) in the in vitro cell system, the influence of the hypoxic microenvironment, HIF-1 or HIF-2, on the expression of CD248/endosialin in HSC was investigated. Here, CD248 is linked to Hepatic fibrosis.