GJA1 and ischemic stroke: During the early stages of ischemic stroke, activated pro-inflammatory microglia can disrupt gap junctions and enhance the permeability of connexin 43 (Cx43) hemichannels on astrocytes through the release of pro-inflammatory factors, conversely, astrocytes can promote the polarization of microglia towards a pro-inflammatory phenotype via their Cx43 hemichannels, creating a vicious cycle that exacerbates the neuroinflammatory cascade and amplifies damage following ischemic stroke (Liang et al., 2023).