Redistribution of connexin 43 during cell division.

Gap junction channels, once clustered into gap junction plaques, allow communication of essential metabolites between cells. Gap junction plaques have been reported to be lost from the cell surface during cell division. The mechanism involved in this loss of gap junction plaques during mitosis is unclear, but we hypothesize that an endoexocytotic mechanism that results in cytoplasmic double-membraned annular gap junction vesicles is involved.