Gap junctions and connexins in the inner ear: their roles in homeostasis and deafness

Mutations in GJB2 and GJB6, the genes encoding the gap-junction proteins connexin 26 and connexin 30, are the most common cause of autosomal recessive nonsyndromic deafness in many populations across the world. In this review, we discuss current ideas about the roles of gap junctions in the inner ear and the implications of connexin mutations on auditory function.In recent years, a complex picture of the roles of gap junctions in cochlear...