Gap junctions and tissue business: Problems and strategies for developing specific functional reagents

Abstract

The complex and overlapping tissue distribution of different members of the gap junctional connexin protein family is reviewed. Intermixing of different connexins in the building of intercellular channels and translational and posttranslational regulation of gap junctional channels add additional challenges to the interpretation of the possible functions played by gap junction-mediated intercellular communication in tissue business.