Pannexin 3 Polyclonal Antibody, Invitrogen™

Description

• Pannexins constitute a new family of gap junction type proteins
• They are highly conserved in worms, mollusks, insects and mammals and are predicted to have four transmembrane regions, two extracellular loops, one intracellular loop and intracellular N- and C-termini
• Besides the connexin proteins, Pannexin 1 and 2 seem to be molecular components of neuronal gap junctions (&quoteelectrical synapses&quote) that are thought to form connections between principal cells in the hippocampus
• Functional expression in paired Xenopus oocytes indicated that pannexins are capable of forming communicating junctions
• In addition to forming gap junction channels in paired oocytes, Pannexin 1 can also form a mechanosensitive and ATP-permeable channel in the nonjunctional plasma membrane
• Pannexin 1 and 3 are both glycoproteins with a cell surface distribution profile and life cycle dynamics distinct from connexin 43
• Pannexin 3 expression was prevalent in skin and cartilage
• In transiently expressing cells both pannexin 1 and 3 were incapable of forming intercellular channels but assembled into functional cell surface channels
• Suggested roles in the ischemic death of neurons, schizophrenia, inflammation and tumor suppression have drawn attention for properties and cellular functions of pannexins.