Autosomal recessive mutations in the GJA12/GJC2 gene encoding the gap junction protein connexin47 (CÂ47) cause a form of Pelizaeus-Merzbacher-like disease (PMLD) with hypomyelination, nystagmus, impaired psychomotor development and progressive spasticity. We investigated the functional consequences of four CÂ47 missense mutations (G149S, G236R, T265A, and T398I) and one CÂ47 complex mutation (A98G_V99insT) by immunoblot analysis and immunocytochemistry in transfected communication-incompetent HeLa cells and in OLI-neu cells. All studied CÂ47 mutants, except G236R, generated stable proteins in transfected HeLa cells and OLI-neu cells. The mutants T265A and A98G_V99insT were retained in the ER, T398I formed gap junctional plaques at the plasma membrane, and G149S showed both, structures at the plasma membrane and ER localization. Two-microelectrode voltage clamp analyses in Xenopus laevis oocytes injected with wild-type and mutant CÂ47 cRNA revealed reduced hemichannel currents for G236R, T265A, and A98G_V99insT. In contrast, T398I revealed hemichannel currents comparable to wild-type. For CÂ47 mutant T398I, our results indicate a defect in hemichannel function, whereas CÂ47 mutants G149S, G236R, T265A, and A98G_V99insT are predicted to result in a loss of CÂ47 hemichannel function. Thus, PMLD is likely to be caused by two different disease mechanisms: a loss of function and a dysfunction.