Figure 4.

Comparison of voltage dependence from hetero-multimeric channels. In both panels, we present a representation of the connexin combination (top) indicating the cell that was stimulated, the average of steady state conductance levels (middle) and representative current traces where the color matches the connexon where Cx43 is more abundant (bottom). As reported before, in heterotypic channels, voltage gating of Cx43 homomeric connexons appears to be inhibited. On the left, heterotypic channels formed by Cx43 with Cx45 connexons induce a reduction in the gating kinetics of Cx43 (circles). This gating inhibition is even stronger when the opposing connexons are heteromeric (squares). On the right, heteromeric connexons form channels with HomCx45 connexons (One heteromeric and the other homomeric Cx45) that appear to be less rectifying to voltage gating.