“…Gap junctions are major channels that allow cells to communicate with one another by facilitating intercellular communication, including the transfer of Ca 2+ , a fundamental ion in keratinocyte differentiation, and small molecules of ,1 kDa -such as inositol triphosphate (IP 3 ) -between cells. In the skin, gap junctions appear to regulate a number of cellular processes, including wound healing, differentiation and barrier function (Goliger and Paul, 1995;Coutinho et al, 2003;Qiu et al, 2003;Djalilian et al, 2006;Mori et al, 2006;Man et al, 2007;Kandyba et al, 2008;Simpson et al, 2013), and their role in epidermal integrity is reviewed elsewhere (Martin et al, 2014).…”