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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...

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...

Conduction System of the Heart

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Autorhythmicity is a term that refers to the heart's inherent ability to generate electrical signals and instigate muscle contractions. This self-regulating conduction system within the heart consists of two key components: the pacemaker cells and specialized conducting cells.
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Conduction System of the Heart

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The cardiac conduction system produces and transmits electrical impulses that prompt myocardial contraction, ensuring efficient heart function. This intricate system ensures that the heart beats in a coordinated and efficient manner, beginning with the atria and then the ventricles. The conduction system optimizes cardiac output by maintaining this precise sequence, which is crucial for adequate blood circulation.
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Mechanism of Cardiac Arrhythmias

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 21, 2026

Mechanical Stimulation-induced Calcium Wave Propagation in Cell Monolayers: The Example of Bovine Corneal Endothelial Cells

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The effect of connexin40 deficiency on ventricular conduction system function during development.

Barbora Sankova¹, Jiri Benes, Eliska Krejci

¹Department of Cardiovascular Morphogenesis, Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Videnska 1083, 14220 Prague, Czech Republic.

Cardiovascular Research

|June 29, 2012

Summary

Connexin40 is crucial for the developing cardiac conduction system, influencing the switch from early pathways to mature apex-to-base activation. Its deficiency delays left bundle branch function in mouse embryos.

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Microelectrode Array Recording of Sinoatrial Node Firing Rate to Identify Intrinsic Cardiac Pacemaking Defects in Mice

Microelectrode Array Recording of Sinoatrial Node Firing Rate to Identify Intrinsic Cardiac Pacemaking Defects in Mice

Published on: July 5, 2021

Area of Science:

Cardiovascular Research
Developmental Biology
Molecular Cardiology

Background:

The cardiac conduction system's development is vital for coordinated heartbeats.
Connexins, particularly connexin40 (Cx40), play a role in intercellular communication within the heart.
Understanding Cx40's function is key to deciphering congenital heart defects.

Purpose of the Study:

To characterize ventricular activation patterns in normal and connexin40-deficient mice.
To elucidate the specific role of connexin40 in the development of the cardiac conduction system.

Main Methods:

Optical mapping of epicardial activation in mouse embryos (ED9.5-18.5).
Analysis of ventricular activation patterns and timing.
Comparison of connexin40-deficient, heterozygous, and normal littermates.
Delineation of the primary interventricular ring (PIR) using a T3-LacZ transgene.

Main Results:

Four distinct ventricular activation patterns were identified during development: PIR, left/right ventricular apex, and dual apical breakthrough.
Early development (until ED12.5) showed frequent PIR activation, transitioning to dual apical breakthrough by ED14.5.
Connexin40-deficient embryos exhibited delayed left bundle branch function; right bundle branch block emerged gradually, reaching 80% penetrance by ED18.5.

Conclusions:

The transition from early PIR conduction to mature apex-to-base activation depends on connexin40 upregulation in ventricular trabeculae.
Early right bundle branch function is independent of connexin40.
Quantitative analysis of embryonic conduction patterns aids in interpreting the effects of cardiac conduction system mutations.