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Gap Junctions

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...

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The extracellular matrix or ECM holds cells together to form a tissue and allows the cells within the tissue to communicate. ECM comprises proteins such as fibronectin, collagen, laminin, etc. The most abundant protein in this space is collagen. Collagen fibers are interwoven with carbohydrate-containing protein molecules called proteoglycans. ECM allows cell migration and provides a structural scaffold at cell adhesion that anchors the cell when the extracellular matrix proteins interact with...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 12, 2026

A Functional Assay for Gap Junctional Examination; Electroporation of Adherent Cells on Indium-Tin Oxide

A Functional Assay for Gap Junctional Examination; Electroporation of Adherent Cells on Indium-Tin Oxide

Published on: October 18, 2014

Imaging gap junctions with silica-coated upconversion nanoparticles.

Sounderya Nagarajan¹, Zhengquan Li, Valerie Marchi-Artzner

¹Division of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore.

Medical & Biological Engineering & Computing

|May 22, 2010

Summary

Synthesized upconversion nanoparticles (UCN) were modified for biological imaging. Silica-coated UCN conjugated with antibodies successfully labeled cardiac cells, demonstrating their potential for advanced cellular imaging applications.

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Last Updated: Jun 12, 2026

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Published on: September 7, 2022

Area of Science:

Nanotechnology
Biomedical Engineering
Cell Biology

Background:

Upconversion nanoparticles (UCN) offer unique optical properties for bioimaging.
Hydrophobic UCN require surface modification for biological applications.
Targeted labeling of specific cellular components is crucial for accurate imaging.

Purpose of the Study:

To synthesize and surface-modify UCN for biocompatible cell imaging.
To conjugate gap junction-specific antibodies to silica-coated UCN.
To evaluate the efficacy of antibody-conjugated UCN in labeling cardiac cells.

Main Methods:

Synthesis of oleic acid-capped UCN followed by silica coating.
Surface functionalization for antibody conjugation using covalent coupling.
Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) for particle size determination.
Fluorescence imaging of cardiomyoblast cells and co-cultures using a 980 nm laser.

Main Results:

UCN size increased from 30 nm to 50 nm after silica coating.
Successful conjugation of gap junction antibodies to UCN.
Demonstrated fluorescence imaging of cardiac cells over several days.
Effective labeling of gap junctions in cardiomyoblast cells and co-cultures.

Conclusions:

Silica-coated UCN are biocompatible and suitable for cell imaging.
Antibody-conjugated UCN provide specific targeting of cardiac gap junctions.
UCN show significant potential for long-term cellular fluorescence imaging.