AUTHOR=Güiza Juan , Barría Iván , Sáez Juan C. , Vega José L. 

TITLE=Innexins: Expression, Regulation, and Functions

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Physiology

VOLUME=9

YEAR=2018

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2018.01414

DOI=10.3389/fphys.2018.01414

ISSN=1664-042X

ABSTRACT=<p>The innexin (Inx) proteins form gap junction channels and non-junctional channels (named hemichannels) in invertebrates. These channels participate in cellular communication playing a relevant role in several physiological processes. Pioneer studies conducted mainly in worms and flies have shown that innexins participate in embryo development and behavior. However, recent studies have elucidated new functions of innexins in <italic>Arthropoda, Nematoda, Annelida</italic>, and <italic>Cnidaria</italic>, such as immune response, and apoptosis. This review describes emerging data of possible new roles of innexins and summarizes the data available to date.</p>