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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...
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...
Overview of Cell-Cell Junctions01:14

Overview of Cell-Cell Junctions

The complex three-dimensional arrangement of cells in any multicellular organism is defined and maintained by interactions of cells with each other and the extracellular matrix. Cell-cell junctions are specialized structures where the multi-protein complexes on one cell interact with the multi-protein complexes on another  cell. These cell junctions are classified  into three main types based on their function — occluding, anchoring, and gap junctions.
Occluding or Tight Junctions
Tight...
Overview of Cell-Cell Junctions01:14

Overview of Cell-Cell Junctions

The complex three-dimensional arrangement of cells in any multicellular organism is defined and maintained by interactions of cells with each other and the extracellular matrix. Cell-cell junctions are specialized structures where the multi-protein complexes on one cell interact with the multi-protein complexes on another  cell. These cell junctions are classified  into three main types based on their function — occluding, anchoring, and gap junctions.
Occluding or Tight Junctions
Tight...
Contact-dependent Signaling01:19

Contact-dependent Signaling

Contact-dependent signaling, as the name suggests, requires that communicating cells be in direct contact with each other. This is achieved either through receptor-ligand interactions or by specialized cytoplasmic channels that allow the flow of small molecules between cells. In animal cells, channels called gap junctions facilitate contact-dependent signaling in certain tissues, whereas, plasmodesmata perform a similar function in plants.
Gap Junctions
In animal cells, gap junctions are formed...
Tight Junctions01:29

Tight Junctions

Tight junctions are molecular seals between cells that prevent the leaking of fluids, ions, and other small solutes across cavities and compartments in multicellular organisms. They are mainly composed of claudin and occludin transmembrane proteins, and other proteins such as tricellulin and JAM (junctional adhesion molecule). All these proteins are 4-pass transmembrane proteins, except JAM, which is a single-pass transmembrane protein belonging to the immunoglobulin superfamily. The...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 10, 2026

Recording Gap Junction Current from Xenopus Oocytes
09:04

Recording Gap Junction Current from Xenopus Oocytes

Published on: January 21, 2022

Gap junctions: basic structure and function.

Gülistan Meşe1, Gabriele Richard, Thomas W White

  • 11Program in Genetics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology
|October 16, 2007
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Gap junctions, formed by connexins and pannexins, facilitate cell communication. Mutations in connexin genes are linked to skin disorders, highlighting their role in skin health and homeostasis.

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Published on: January 18, 2011

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Genetics
  • Dermatology

Background:

  • Gap junctions are crucial for intercellular communication, enabling the exchange of ions and molecules between adjacent cells.
  • Two protein families, pannexins and connexins, form these channels.
  • Connexin gene mutations are implicated in various genetic disorders, emphasizing their role in tissue homeostasis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To discuss the structure of gap junction channels.
  • To explore the function of connexin genes associated with human disorders.
  • To investigate the physiology of intercellular communication in the skin.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of connexin and pannexin structure and function.
  • Analysis of genetic mutations in connexin genes linked to human diseases.
  • Exploration of the role of gap junctions in skin physiology.

Main Results:

  • Gap junctions are vital for maintaining skin integrity and function.
  • Specific connexin mutations correlate with congenital skin disorders.
  • Intercellular communication via gap junctions is essential for skin homeostasis.

Conclusions:

  • Connexin-based gap junctions play a critical role in skin health.
  • Understanding connexin function is key to addressing genetic skin disorders.
  • Further research into intercellular communication pathways in the skin is warranted.