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Springer Verlag, Journal of Membrane Biology, 8(245), p. 477-482

DOI: 10.1007/s00232-012-9466-y

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The Noncanonical Functions of Cx43 in the Heart

Journal article published in 2012 by Esperanza Agullo-Pascual, Mario Delmar ORCID
This paper was not found in any repository, but could be made available legally by the author.
This paper was not found in any repository, but could be made available legally by the author.

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Abstract

There is abundant evidence showing that connexins form gap junctions. Yet, this does not exclude the possibility that connexins can exert other functions, separate from that of gap junction (or even a permeable hemichannel) formation. Here, we focus on these “non-canonical” functions of Connexin43 (Cx43), particularly in the heart. We describe two specific examples: The importance of Cx43 on intercellular adhesion, and the role of Cx43 in the function of the sodium channel. We propose that these two functions of Cx43 have important repercussions on the propagation of electrical activity in the heart, irrespective of the presence of permeable gap junction channels. Overall, the gap junction-independent functions of Cx43 in cardiac electrophysiology emerge as an exciting area of future research.