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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...
Regulation of Expression Occurs at Multiple Steps02:24

Regulation of Expression Occurs at Multiple Steps

Gene expression can be regulated at almost every step from gene to protein. Transcription is the step that is most commonly regulated. This involves the binding of proteins to short regulatory sequences on the DNA. This association can either promote or inhibit the transcription of a gene associated with the respective sequence.
Transcription results in the generation of precursor (pre-mRNA) that consists of both exons and introns, which needs further processing before being translated to a...
Regulation of Expression Occurs at Multiple Steps02:24

Regulation of Expression Occurs at Multiple Steps

Gene expression can be regulated at almost every step from gene to protein. Transcription is the step that is most commonly regulated. This involves the binding of proteins to short regulatory sequences on the DNA. This association can either promote or inhibit the transcription of a gene associated with the respective sequence.
Transcription results in the generation of precursor (pre-mRNA) that consists of both exons and introns, which needs further processing before being translated to a...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 6, 2026

Ex utero Electroporation and Whole Hemisphere Explants: A Simple Experimental Method for Studies of Early Cortical Development
13:47

Ex utero Electroporation and Whole Hemisphere Explants: A Simple Experimental Method for Studies of Early Cortical Development

Published on: April 3, 2013

Gap junctions: multifaceted regulators of embryonic cortical development.

Laura A B Elias1, Arnold R Kriegstein

  • 1Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California San Francisco, 513 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA. eliasl@stemcell.ucsf.edu

Trends in Neurosciences
|April 12, 2008
PubMed
Summary

Gap junctions are crucial for embryonic brain development, regulating neural progenitor proliferation, migration, and differentiation. These versatile cell connections also act as hemichannels and adhesive molecules, highlighting their multifaceted roles in intercellular communication.

More Related Videos

Ex Utero Electroporation and Organotypic Slice Cultures of Embryonic Mouse Brains for Live-Imaging of Migrating GABAergic Interneurons
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Ex Utero Electroporation and Organotypic Slice Cultures of Embryonic Mouse Brains for Live-Imaging of Migrating GABAergic Interneurons

Published on: April 20, 2018

Recording Gap Junction Current from Xenopus Oocytes
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Recording Gap Junction Current from Xenopus Oocytes

Published on: January 21, 2022

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 6, 2026

Ex utero Electroporation and Whole Hemisphere Explants: A Simple Experimental Method for Studies of Early Cortical Development
13:47

Ex utero Electroporation and Whole Hemisphere Explants: A Simple Experimental Method for Studies of Early Cortical Development

Published on: April 3, 2013

Ex Utero Electroporation and Organotypic Slice Cultures of Embryonic Mouse Brains for Live-Imaging of Migrating GABAergic Interneurons
09:50

Ex Utero Electroporation and Organotypic Slice Cultures of Embryonic Mouse Brains for Live-Imaging of Migrating GABAergic Interneurons

Published on: April 20, 2018

Recording Gap Junction Current from Xenopus Oocytes
09:04

Recording Gap Junction Current from Xenopus Oocytes

Published on: January 21, 2022

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Biology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • The developing cerebral cortex undergoes complex morphological changes from a simple neuroepithelium to a sophisticated laminar structure.
  • Intercellular signaling networks are essential for orchestrating this intricate developmental process.
  • Gap junctions are known to mediate direct cell-cell communication and have been observed during embryonic development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the diverse roles of gap junctions in regulating key events during embryonic cerebral cortex development.
  • To explore the non-classical functions of gap junctions, including hemichannel activity and adhesive properties.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of existing research on gap junctions in cortical development.
  • Analysis of studies investigating neural progenitor proliferation, neuronal migration, and differentiation.
  • Examination of evidence for gap junction roles beyond direct electrical coupling.

Main Results:

  • Gap junctions regulate neural progenitor proliferation.
  • Gap junctions influence the migration and differentiation of young neurons.
  • Gap junctions function as hemichannels, mediating calcium wave propagation.
  • Gap junctions also act as adhesive molecules, facilitating neuronal migration.

Conclusions:

  • Gap junctions are multifaceted regulators of embryonic cerebral cortex development.
  • They play critical roles in intercellular communication through classical coupling, hemichannel activity, and adhesion.
  • Understanding these diverse functions is key to comprehending cortical formation and potential developmental disorders.