Connexins, Innexins, and Pannexins: From Biology to Clinical Targets

Abstract

In 1964, Loewenstein and Kanno [...]

Diversity in connexin biology

“…However, in vertebrates, other than connexins, there is no other protein family that has acquired the evolutionary advantage of direct and regulated intercellular exchange of signaling molecules barring the exception that pannexin 1 potentially acquires this capacity in rare situations ( 26 , 27 ). Nevertheless, overwhelming experimental evidence now points to cell surface connexin hemichannels having key roles in normal chordate physiology, pathology, and tissue injury, all of which are reviewed in detail elsewhere ( 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 ).…”

The giant escape neurons of crayfish: Past discoveries and present opportunities

“…Although invertebrate and vertebrate gap junction proteins differ in primary sequence, they are structurally similar (e.g., same membrane topology) and considered functionally identical ( Phelan 2005 ; Skerrett and Williams 2017 ). Thus, the crayfish LG circuit is well suited to make important contributions to our limited understanding of electrical neurotransmission, including those of biomedical relevance since dysfunction of gap junctions has been implied in several major neurological diseases (e.g., Dere and Zlomuzica 2012 ; Aasen 2021 ).…”