间隙连接蛋白(Cx)基因在胚胎发育、细胞生长、分化及细胞间信号传递、物质交流等方面起着重要作用,Cx基因的表达及功能异常与肿瘤发生密切相关。肿瘤细胞常存在Cx基因表达下调或缺失。肝癌是最常见的恶性肿瘤之一。连接蛋白26是哺乳动物肝脏中的主要表达的连接蛋白之一,近年来研究表明它对肝脏GJIC有重要作用。Cx26蛋白的表达异常可能是肝细胞癌发生重要机制之一。 The gene of connexin (Cx) plays an important role in embryonic development, cell growth, differentiation and intercellular signal transduction, material exchange and so on. The expression and dysfunction of Cx gene are closely related to tumorigenesis. Tumor cells often have down-regulated or absent Cx gene expression. Liver cancer is one of the most common malignancies. Connexin 26 is one of the major connexin proteins expressed in the mammalian liver. In recent years, studies have shown that it has an important role in hepatic GJIC. Abnormal expression of Cx26 protein may be one of the important mechanisms of hepatocellular carcinoma.