Functional implications of calcium permeability of the channel formed by pannexin 1

• DOI: 10.1083/jcb.200601115
• Publication Date: 2006-08-14T18:43:18Z
• Authors: Fabien Vanden Abeele; Gabriel Bidaux; Dmitri Gordienko; Benjamin Beck; Yuri V. Panchin; Ancha V. Baranova; Dmitry V. Ivanov; Roman Skryma; Natalia Prevarskaya
• Keywords: Pannexin; Calcium Signaling; Homeostasis; Calcium in biology; Cell Signaling

Although human pannexins (PanX) are homologous to gap junction molecules, their physiological function in vertebrates remains poorly understood. Our results demonstrate that overexpression of PanX1 the formation Ca2+-permeable channels between adjacent cells, thus, allowing direct intercellular Ca2+ diffusion and facilitating wave propagation. More intriguingly, our strongly suggest may also form endoplasmic reticulum (ER). These contribute ER leak thereby affect load. Because leakage most enigmatic those processes involved intracellular calcium homeostasis, molecular nature is as yet unknown, this work provide new insight into signaling mechanisms. imply for vertebrates, a protein family, referred pannexins, not simply duplicate connexin but additional pathways intra- homeostasis.