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Related Concept Videos

Gap Junctions01:37

Gap Junctions

Multicellular organisms employ a variety of ways for cells to communicate with each other. Gap junctions are specialized proteins that form pores between neighboring cells in animals, connecting the cytoplasm between the two, and allowing for the exchange of molecules and ions. They are found in a wide range of invertebrate and vertebrate species, mediate numerous functions including cell differentiation and development, and are associated with numerous human diseases, including cardiac and...
Patch Clamp01:18

Patch Clamp

Many fundamental cell functions such as muscle contraction and nerve transmission rely on the electrical signals produced by the movement of positively and negatively charged ions across the cell membrane. One competent method to record current flowing across the whole cell or single ion channel is the patch-clamp technique.
In this method, a glass micropipette containing electrolyte solution is tightly sealed against a small portion of the cell membrane. As a result, a patch of the cell...
Gap Junctions01:27

Gap Junctions

The cytoplasm of adjacent animal cells can exchange small molecules, ions, and secondary messengers via the communication channels which form the gap junctions. These junctions comprise a few hundred to thousands of molecular channels, each made of two halves, called the connexon hemichannel. A connexon is a hexamer of six transmembrane connexin proteins, which assemble radially, thus forming a pore or channel in the center. One connexon hemichannel docks with a corresponding connexon on the...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 20, 2026

Single-cell Microinjection for Cell Communication Analysis
09:59

Single-cell Microinjection for Cell Communication Analysis

Published on: February 26, 2017

Application of SCAM (substituted cysteine accessibility method) to gap junction intercellular channels.

M Skerrett1, E Kasperek, F L Cao

  • 1Department of Biological Sciences, SUNY at Buffalo, NY 14260, USA.

Cell Communication & Adhesion
|June 18, 2002
PubMed
Summary

Researchers mapped gap junction channel pores using a novel dual-oocyte perfusion system. This method identified key pore-lining residues, revealing structural insights into channel function and conformational changes.

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Area of Science:

  • Biophysics
  • Cell Biology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Gap junction channels mediate intercellular communication by forming pores lined with specific residues.
  • Understanding these residues is crucial for determining channel permeability and function.
  • Existing methods for analyzing transmembrane channels are complex when applied to intercellular channels.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To map the pore-lining residues of gap junction channels.
  • To investigate the structural basis of gap junction channel permeability.
  • To identify conformational changes occurring upon gap junction docking.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a novel dual-oocyte perfusion device for voltage-clamped Xenopus oocytes.
  • Applied a large, irreversible cysteine reagent (MBB) to the cytoplasmic face of paired oocytes.
  • Identified reactive sites within the gap junction pore through accessibility analysis.

Main Results:

  • Successfully mapped 11 reactive sites within the gap junction pore.
  • Identified 6 sites in M3 spanning the bilayer, exhibiting periodicity characteristic of tilted helices.
  • Observed differences in reactive sites compared to hemichannels, suggesting conformational changes upon docking.

Conclusions:

  • The study successfully mapped gap junction channel pore residues using a novel perfusion technique.
  • Findings reveal structural details of the pore lining, including tilted helices and aqueous crevices.
  • Differences between gap junction channels and hemichannels indicate conformational adaptations during docking.