Journal
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES
Volume 1711, Issue 2, Pages 126-141Publisher
ELSEVIER
DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2004.11.013
Keywords
gap junction; connexin; connexon; heteromeric; heterotypic; junctional conductance; unitary conductance; selective permeability
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Funding
- NHLBI NIH HHS [HL58732] Funding Source: Medline
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The capacity of multiple connexins to hetero-oligomerize into functional heterogeneous gap junction channels has been demonstrated in vivo(1), in vitro(2), and in nonmammalian expression systems. These heterogeneous channels display gating activity, channel conductances, selectivity and regulatory behaviors that are sometimes not predicted by the behaviors of the corresponding homogeneous channels. Such observations suggest that heteromerization of gap junction proteins offers an efficient cellular strategy for finely regulating cell-to-cell communication. The available evidence strongly indicates that heterogeneous gap junction assembly is important to normal growth and differentiation, and may influence the appearance of several disease states. Definitive evidence that heterogeneous gap junction channels differentially regulate electrical conduction in excitable cells is absent. This review examines the prevalence, regulation, and implications of gap junction channel hetero-oligomerization. (c) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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