Connexins, Innexins, and Pannexins: From Biology to Clinical Targets

Dear Colleagues,

Direct intercellular communication via gap junction channels allows for the exchange of small molecules between cells, including ions, metabolites, second messengers, small peptides, and even microRNAs. A large family of connexin proteins facilitate this syncytium between cells, which is deemed critical for tissue development and tissue homeostasis. In addition, under certain pathophysiological conditions, connexin hemichannels open to allow for direct exchange between cells and the extracellular milieu. Furthermore, new insight has identified a myriad of non-canonical connexin functions, including as signaling hubs, as components of mitochondria, and as regulators of extracellular vesicle biology. The direct translation of truncated connexin forms has added another layer of complexity to this puzzle.

Non-chordates, such as flatworms and Drosophila, utilize the innexin protein family for a similar purpose. More recently, pannexin proteins were discovered in vertebrates due to their homology to innexins, but were subsequently found to predominantly act as transmembrane channels that connect the intracellular and extracellular space.

The field of connexins, innexins, and pannexins is evolving rapidly through the discovery of new biological functions and phenotypic associations. This new insight is bringing about novel therapeutic opportunities to tackle some of the associated diseases, which include deafness, blindness, skin disease, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and a wide variety of neurological disorders and complex syndromic diseases.

The contributions of reviews and original articles to this Special Issue are intended to provide insight and to shed light on various aspects of this multidisciplinary and exciting field of research.

Dr. Trond Aasen
Guest Editor

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