title: Gap junctions - guards of excitability.
abstract: Cardiomyocytes are connected by mechanical and electrical junctions located at the intercalated discs (IDs). Although these structures have long been known, it is becoming increasingly clear that their components interact. This review describes the involvement of the ID in electrical disturbances of the heart and focuses on the role of the gap junctional protein connexin 43 (Cx43). Current evidence shows that Cx43 plays a crucial role in organizing microtubules at the intercalated disc and thereby regulating the trafficking of the cardiac sodium channel NaV1.5 to the membrane.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Biomedical Sciences and The Danish National Research Foundation Centre for Cardiac Arrhythmia, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Line Waring
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Stroemlund
authors.affiliation: *Department of Biomedical Sciences and The Danish National Research Foundation Centre for Cardiac Arrhythmia, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Christa Funch
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.affiliation: †Department of Biomedical Sciences and Core Facility for Integrated Microscopy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Qvortrup
authors.affiliation: ‡Leon H. Charney Division of Cardiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Delmar
authors.affiliation: *Department of Biomedical Sciences and The Danish National Research Foundation Centre for Cardiac Arrhythmia, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Morten Schak
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Nielsen
mesh_terms: D018031:Connexin 43 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017629:Gap Junctions / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism*; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D062554:NAV1.5 Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D018031:Connexin 43; C500216:GJA1 protein, human; D062554:NAV1.5 Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel; C568320:SCN5A protein, human