Vascular smooth muscle connexin-32 is a member of the connexin gene family. The encoded protein is a component of gap junctions, which are composed of arrays of intercellular channels that provide a route for the diffusion of low molecular weight materials from cell to cell. The protein is the major protein of gap junctions in the heart that are thought to have a crucial role in the synchronized contraction of the heart and in embryonic development. Mutations in this gene have been associated