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Gap Junctions

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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...

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Gap Junctions

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

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High Throughput Microfluidic Rapid and Low Cost Prototyping Packaging Methods

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Published on: December 23, 2013

Gap junctions provide new links in left-right patterning.

Néstor J Oviedo¹, Michael Levin

¹The Forsyth Center for Regenerative and Developmental Biology, The Forsyth Institute, 140 The Fenway, Boston, MA 02115, USA.

|May 22, 2007

Summary

Developing neural circuits use gap junctions to establish left-right asymmetry in the worm nervous system. This finding reveals a shared mechanism for left-right asymmetry between nematodes and vertebrates.

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Developmental Biology
Cell Biology

Background:

Gap junctions are vital for intercellular communication, influencing embryonic development, nervous system function, and cancer.
Establishing left-right asymmetry is crucial for proper organogenesis and nervous system function in many animals.

Discussion:

This study demonstrates the role of gap junction communication in establishing left-right asymmetry within the central nervous system of Caenorhabditis elegans.
The research highlights how developing neural circuits utilize cell-to-cell communication to achieve developmental patterning.

Key Insights:

Developing neural circuits in C. elegans employ gap junctions to establish left-right asymmetry.
Nematodes share a conserved mechanism for left-right asymmetry with vertebrates, indicating evolutionary significance.

Outlook:

Further research can explore the specific molecular players and signaling pathways involved in gap junction-mediated asymmetry.
Understanding this mechanism could offer insights into developmental disorders and therapeutic strategies for nervous system abnormalities.