Vertebrates express two families of gap junction proteins: the well characterized connexins
and the recently discovered pannexins. The latter are related to invertebrate innexins. Here …

The gap junction in vertebrates is encoded by the connexin gene family. Recently, a new
gene family termed pannexin (Panx) has been identified in vertebrates and found to encode …

Abstract Pannexin‐1 (Panx1) is a large pore membrane channel with unique conduction
properties ranging from non‐selective ion permeability to the extracellular release of …

Intercellular communication (IC) is mediated by gap junctions (GJs) and hemichannels,
which consist of proteins. This has been particularly well documented for the connexin (Cx) …

Pannexins are large-pore ion channels with broad expression in the central nervous system
(CNS). The channels function by releasing large signaling molecules, such ATP and …

Pannexin1 (Panx1) originally was discovered as a gap junction related protein. However,
rather than forming the cell-to-cell channels of gap junctions, Panx1 forms a …

In the central nervous system (CNS), connexin (Cx) s and pannexin (Panx) s are an integral
component of homeostatic neuronal excitability and synaptic plasticity. Neuronal Cx gap …

Abstract Pannexins (Panx1, 2, and 3) comprise a group of proteins expressed in vertebrates
that share weak yet significant sequence homology with the invertebrate gap junction …

Several new findings have emphasized the role of neuron‐specific gap junction proteins
(connexins) and electrical synapses in processing sensory information and in synchronizing …

Recent studies have revealed a second class of gap-junction-forming proteins in
vertebrates. These genes are termed pannexins, and it has been suggested that they …