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Role of connexins and pannexins in cardiovascular physiology

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Abstract

Connexins and pannexins form connexons, pannexons and membrane channels, which are critically involved in many aspects of cardiovascular physiology. For that reason, a vast number of studies have addressed the role of connexins and pannexins in the arterial and venous systems as well as in the heart. Moreover, a role for connexins in lymphatics has recently also been suggested. This review provides an overview of the current knowledge regarding the involvement of connexins and pannexins in cardiovascular physiology.

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Abbreviations

ATP:

Adenosine triphosphate

CGRP:

Calcitonin gene-related peptide

Cx:

Connexin

ECs:

Endothelial cells

eNOS:

Endothelial nitric oxide synthase

NO:

Nitric oxide

Panx1:

Pannexin1

PDZ:

PSD-95, disk large, zonula occludens-1

VSMCs:

Vascular smooth muscle cells

ZO-1:

Zonula occludens-1

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by grants from the Swiss National Science Foundation (no. 310030_143343 and CRSII3_141811 to BRK).

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationship that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology and Immunology, University of Geneva, Rue Michel-Servet 1, 1211, Geneva 4, Switzerland

    Merlijn J. Meens & Brenda R. Kwak

  2. Department of Medical Specializations-Cardiology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland

    Merlijn J. Meens & Brenda R. Kwak

  3. Creative Innovation Consulting, Ashland, MA, 01721, USA

    Heather S. Duffy

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  1. Merlijn J. Meens
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Correspondence to Brenda R. Kwak.

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Meens, M.J., Kwak, B.R. & Duffy, H.S. Role of connexins and pannexins in cardiovascular physiology. Cell. Mol. Life Sci. 72, 2779–2792 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00018-015-1959-2

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