GAP JUNCTION: Emphasis on Connexin 43

Abstract

The junctions of the cell are complex structures that play a fundamental role in cellular communication. They are morphologically distinct and are divided into occlusion junctions, adherens junctions and gap junctions. This review has the objective of providing the main information about the gap junctions demonstrating its components and highlighting their role in cellular maintenance, emphasizing the studies of junctions, formed by connexin 43 (Cx43), which is widely found in various tissues, highlighting its function in the main systems, the formation cycle and possible interactions. For this, we searched the databases: CAPES, Scielo, Scopus, Science Direct and PubMed using keywords and selecting the articles with the inclusion and exclusion criteria to structure a document for students and researchers of the areas of cellular biology, biophysics and physiology.