Hypoxia promotes platelet recruitment by upregulating CX3CL1 expression. (A) Representative fluorescence images of platelets (CD41) and hypoxia (CA9) on section of human HCC and the correlation analysis of platelet number versus CA9‐integrated density (n = 5, random 3–4 fields per case; Spearman's rank correlation). Bar, 200 μm. The dotted lines enclose the hypoxic (H) and normoxic (N) areas in the HCC tissue, respectively. Bar, 10 μm. (B) Platelet migration assay (n = 3, unpaired t‐test, 2‐tailed, mean ± SEM, *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01). (C) Expression of CX3CL1 and CA9 in human HCC and NT liver tissues. Representative images of two consecutive slices of the same sample embedded in paraffin were taken, and each was stained with CX3CL1 and CA9 (n = 3). Bar, 200 μm. (D) CX3CL1 protein expression, and the blots were derived from the same gel (n = 3, 1‐way ANOVA or unpaired t‐test, 2‐tailed, mean ± SEM, *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001, NS, no significant difference). (E) Platelet migration assay (n = 3, unpaired t‐test, 2‐tailed, mean ± SEM, **P < 0.01).