ABSTRACT
In recent years, we have seen a burst of evidence supporting the role of gap junction intercellular channels in immune functions, and their roles as fundamental structures underpinning immune regulation have become increasingly evident. Advances in connexin biology proceeded in parallel with discoveries in the Ÿeld of immunology that have revolutionized our understanding of the subject. The discovery and expansion of knowledge related to T cells with suppression activity (now known as regulatory T cells), the realization that antigen cross-presentation is a fundamental mechanism to prime and maintain immune responses, and the discovery of Th17 cells that have been shown to play a key role in bridging innate and adaptive immune responses are just a few examples.
