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Related Concept Videos

Gap Junctions01:37

Gap Junctions

48.1K
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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Gap Junctions01:27

Gap Junctions

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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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Overview of Cell-Cell Junctions01:14

Overview of Cell-Cell Junctions

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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...
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Overview of Cell-Cell Junctions01:14

Overview of Cell-Cell Junctions

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Contact-dependent Signaling01:19

Contact-dependent Signaling

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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...
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Tight Junctions01:29

Tight Junctions

6.8K
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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An Iodide-Yellow Fluorescent Protein-Gap Junction-Intercellular Communication Assay
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An Iodide-Yellow Fluorescent Protein-Gap Junction-Intercellular Communication Assay

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Gap junctions.

Kazumichi Shimizu1, Mark Stopfer

  • 1NIH-NICHD, 35 Lincoln Drive, Room 3A-102, msc 3715, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.

Current Biology : CB
|December 7, 2013
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Electrical synapses, or gap junctions, offer direct neuron communication via ion passage. Recent research reveals their complex roles in neural network function, signal regulation, and development.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Neuronal communication primarily occurs via chemical synapses, involving neurotransmitter release and receptor binding.
  • An alternative direct communication pathway exists through gap junctions, forming electrical synapses.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the diversity and significance of gap junctions in the nervous system.
  • To discuss recent findings on the complex functions of electrical synapses.

Main Methods:

  • Review of recent scientific literature on gap junctions and electrical synapses.
  • Analysis of studies demonstrating gap junction roles in neural signaling and network dynamics.

Main Results:

  • Electrical synapses, unlike chemical ones, involve direct cell-to-cell contacts (axon-to-axon or dendrite-to-dendrite).
  • Gap junctions are crucial for linking inhibitory neurons into networks and play roles in both development and adult nervous systems.
  • Recent work demonstrates complex functions beyond simple ion passage, including signal generation, propagation, filtering, and modulation.

Conclusions:

  • Gap junctions are vital for diverse neural functions, extending beyond their traditional view as mere passageways.
  • Understanding electrical synapses is key to comprehending neural network dynamics and regulation throughout life.