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. 2022 Aug 11;12(4):4147-4163.
doi: 10.1002/cphy.c220007.

Connexin-Based Channels in the Liver

Raf Van Campenhout  1 , Kaat Leroy  1 , Axelle Cooreman  1 , Andrés Tabernilla  1 , Bruno Cogliati  2 , Prashant Kadam  1 , Mathieu Vinken  1
Affiliations

Connexin-Based Channels in the Liver

Raf Van Campenhout et al. Compr Physiol. .

Abstract

Connexin proteins oligomerize in hexameric structures called connexin hemichannels, which then dock to form gap junctions. Gap junctions direct cell-cell communication by allowing the exchange of small molecules and ions between neighboring cells. In this way, hepatic gap junctions support liver homeostasis. Besides serving as building blocks for gap junctions, connexin hemichannels provide a pathway between the intracellular and the extracellular environment. The activation of connexin hemichannels is associated with acute and chronic liver pathologies. This article discusses the role of gap junctions and connexin hemichannels in the liver. © 2022 American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 12:1-17, 2022.

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References

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