这个基因编码缝隙连接蛋白家族的一个成员。间隙连接首先被电子显微镜描述为与贴壁细胞接触的质膜上的区域性特殊结构这些结构是由细胞间通道组成的，这些通道促进了离子和小分子在细胞间的转移。间隙连接蛋白，也被称为连接蛋白，从不同组织的富集间隙连接物的馏分中纯化。根据核苷酸和氨基酸水平的序列相似性，缝隙连接蛋白分为α和β两类。这个基因的突变导致了多达50%的前语言，隐性耳聋[由RefSeq提供，2008年10月]
This gene encodes a member of the gap junction protein family. The gap junctions were first characterized by electron microscopy as regionally specialized structures on plasma membranes of contacting adherent cells. These structures were shown to consist of cell-to-cell channels that facilitate the transfer of ions and small molecules between cells. The gap junction proteins, also known as connexins, purified from fractions of enriched gap junctions from different tissues differ. According to sequence similarities at the nucleotide and amino acid levels, the gap junction proteins are divided into two categories, alpha and beta. Mutations in this gene are responsible for as much as 50% of pre-lingual, recessive deafness. [provided by RefSeq, Oct 2008]