Roles of Connexins in Atherosclerosis and Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury

摘要: Connexins are members of a large family transmembrane proteins that oligomerize to form connexons or hemichannels, and adjacent cells dock make gap junction channels. These channels allow the exchange ions small metabolites between cytosol extracellular space, cytosols neighbouring cells. important in cardiovascular physiology; they support conducted vascular responses for coordinated contraction heart. Four main connexins expressed system: Cx37, Cx40, Cx43 Cx45. Their expression pattern is not uniform depends on intrinsic environmental factors. Significant changes pattern, cellular localization opening connexin have been described during development atherosclerosis after ischemia reperfusion. In this review, we provide an overview roles different these pathologies.