Endogenous pannexin1 channels form functional intercellular cell-cell channels with characteristic voltage-dependent properties

SignificancePannexin1 is a glycoprotein that has been shown to form functional plasma membrane channels and mediate many cellular signaling pathways. However, the formation and function of pannexin1-based intercellular cell-cell channels in mammalian cells and vertebrate tissue is a question of substantial debate. This work provides robust electrophysiological evidence to demonstrate that endogenously expressed human pannexin1 forms cell-cell channels and lays the groundwork for studying a potential new type of electrical synapses between many mammalian cell types that endogenously express pannexin1.