Cx43 is the principal astrocytic GJ protein in the CNS where it contributes to the formation of the functional syncytium, implicated in maintaining the homeostasis of the extracellular milieu of neurons 67, 68. Many studies support the potential therapeutic effects of Cx43‐GJ blockade on neuronal survival in various models of injury including stroke, epilepsy, ischaemia, optic nerve damage and spinal cord injury, with GJ communication and HC opening leading to increased secondary damage via the inflammatory response 69, 70, 71.