Connexons form the basis of hemichannels and gap junctions. They are composed of six tetraspan proteins called connexins. Connexons can function as individual hemichannels, releasing cytosolic factors ...

β-adrenergic receptor (β-AR) agonists are among the most potent factors regulating cardiac electrophysiological properties. Connexin 43 (Cx43), the predominant gap-junction protein in the heart, has ...

The emergence of gap junctions is a hallmark in the evolution of life from single-cell to multicellular organisms. For the first time, they enabled true social interactions between cells by allowing ...

When two cells "talk" to each other, they often do so through tiny channels called electrical synapses. Unlike chemical synapses, these so-called gap junctions enable the direct exchange of ...

Neuronal stem cells, originally viewed a source of spare parts that would rebuild damaged circuits, are proving instead to function more like capable paramedics, coming to the rescue of degenerating ...