Child sexual abuse evaluations: the scientist-practitioner model

This review presents published data on various aspects of gap junction functioning during development. The process of formation of these junctions and their structure, along with relationships between molecular characteristics of connexins and properties of gap junctions channels are considered in detail. Some newly discovered functions of gap junctions in early embryonic development, their participation in the formation of various cellular compartments and in coordinated behavior are discussed; their relationship with other types of cell interactions is also reviewed. Promising problems for further research are outlined.