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Related Concept Videos

The Blood-brain Barrier00:49

The Blood-brain Barrier

Overview
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...
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...
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...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 14, 2026

Reconstruction of the Blood-Brain Barrier In Vitro to Model and Therapeutically Target Neurological Disease
06:19

Reconstruction of the Blood-Brain Barrier In Vitro to Model and Therapeutically Target Neurological Disease

Published on: October 20, 2023

Gap junctions and blood-tissue barriers.

Michelle W M Li1, Dolores D Mruk, C Yan Cheng

  • 1The Mary M. Wohlford Laboratory for Male Contraceptive Research, Center for Biomedical Research, New York, New York, USA.

Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology
|February 12, 2013
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Gap junctions are crucial for cell communication and maintaining tissue homeostasis. Research shows altering gap junctions impacts blood-tissue barrier integrity, suggesting a role in drug transport.

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Use of the MicroSiM (µSiM) Barrier Tissue Platform for Modeling the Blood-Brain Barrier

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Use of the MicroSiM (µSiM) Barrier Tissue Platform for Modeling the Blood-Brain Barrier
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Use of the MicroSiM (µSiM) Barrier Tissue Platform for Modeling the Blood-Brain Barrier

Published on: January 12, 2024

Area of Science:

  • Cellular Biology
  • Physiology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Gap junctions mediate cell-cell communication essential for tissue homeostasis.
  • They play a significant role in maintaining dynamic blood-tissue barriers like the blood-brain and blood-testis barriers.
  • These barriers undergo restructuring in response to environmental stimuli.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To summarize recent findings on how gap junction alterations affect blood-tissue barrier integrity and permeability.
  • To explore the potential role of gap junctions in regulating therapeutic drug transport across these barriers.

Main Methods:

  • Review of recent studies on gap junction modifications (knock-out, knock-down, inhibition, activation).
  • Analysis of the impact of these modifications on blood-tissue barrier function.
  • Synthesis of current knowledge regarding gap junction involvement in drug transport.

Main Results:

  • Alterations in gap junctions, through genetic modification or pharmacological intervention, significantly impact blood-tissue barrier integrity and permeability.
  • The precise role of gap junctions in mediating or regulating drug transport across blood-tissue barriers requires further investigation.

Conclusions:

  • Gap junctions are critical regulators of blood-tissue barrier function.
  • Further research is necessary to fully understand their role in physiological processes and therapeutic drug delivery.