Gap junctions permit transfer of small molecules directly between cells. Several laboratories have mapped the human gap junction protein subunit, connexin43 (locus designation, GJA1), to overlapping regions of chromosome 6, localizing GJA1 to 6q14-->q24. We have sublocalized human GJA1 to a very small region. 6q21-->q23.2, using a human x rodent somatic cell hybrid mapping panel and a rat connexin43 cDNA probe.