Editing Gap junction (section)

====Heart====
[[File:Perinexial ephaptic coupling.jpg|thumb|Effects of perinexal width on ephaptic coupling, for G gap = 0 nS]]Gap junctions are particularly important in [[cardiac muscle]]: the signal to contract is passed efficiently through gap junctions, allowing the heart muscle cells to contract in unison. The importance is emphasized by a secondary [[Ephaptic coupling|ephaptic pathway]] for the signal to contract also being associated with the gap junction plaques. This redundancy in signal transmission associated with gap junction plaques is the first to be described and involves sodium channels rather than connexins.<ref name="Localization of Na + channel cluste"/><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Ivanovic |first1=Ena |last2=Kucera |first2=Jan P. |title=Tortuous Cardiac Intercalated Discs Modulate Ephaptic Coupling |journal=Cells |date=2 November 2022 |volume=11 |issue=21 |pages=3477 |doi=10.3390/cells11213477|doi-access=free |pmid=36359872 |pmc=9655400 }}</ref>