Connexons form the basis of hemichannels and gap junctions. They are composed of six tetraspan proteins called connexins. Connexons can function as individual hemichannels, releasing cytosolic factors ...

The emergence of gap junctions is a hallmark in the evolution of life from single-cell to multicellular organisms. For the first time, they enabled true social interactions between cells by allowing ...

When two cells "talk" to each other, they often do so through tiny channels called electrical synapses. Unlike chemical synapses, these so-called gap junctions enable the direct exchange of ...

Top row: The cryo-ET averages of the gap junction channels (left) revealed striking caps (right; purple) on the inside of the cell. Bottom row: The gap junctions (light blue) allow cells to ...