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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...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 2, 2026

Rapid and Refined CD11b Magnetic Isolation of Primary Microglia with Enhanced Purity and Versatility

Rapid and Refined CD11b Magnetic Isolation of Primary Microglia with Enhanced Purity and Versatility

Published on: April 13, 2017

Activated microglia do not form functional gap junctions in vivo.

Sameh K Wasseff¹, Steven S Scherer¹

¹Department of Neurology, The Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, United States.

Journal of Neuroimmunology

|March 4, 2014

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Microglia, the brain's immune cells, do not form functional gap junctions with themselves or other brain cells, even during injury or Alzheimer's disease. This research clarifies microglial communication pathways in the central nervous system.

Keywords:

Alzheimer's disease Astrocytes Brain injury Gap junctions Microglia Oligodendrocytes

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Last Updated: May 2, 2026

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Isolation and Whole-Cell Patch-Clamp Recording of Hippocampal Microglia from Adult Mice

Isolation and Whole-Cell Patch-Clamp Recording of Hippocampal Microglia from Adult Mice

Published on: September 27, 2024

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Cell Biology
Immunology

Background:

Microglia are the primary immune cells in the central nervous system.
Gap junctions facilitate direct cell-to-cell communication.
Previous understanding of microglial intercellular communication is incomplete, especially under pathological conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the formation of functional gap junctions by microglia in vivo.
To determine if microglia form gap junctions with themselves, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, or neurons.
To examine gap junction formation in both normal and activated microglial states (brain injury, Alzheimer's model).

Main Methods:

In vivo investigation of microglial interactions within the mouse brain.
Analysis of normal and pathologically activated microglial states.
Assessment of functional gap junction formation between different cell types.

Main Results:

Microglia were found in close proximity to neurons and other glial cells.
No evidence of functional gap junction formation was observed between microglia.
Microglia did not form functional gap junctions with astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, or neurons, even in pathological conditions.

Conclusions:

Microglia do not form functional gap junctions with themselves or other neural cells in vivo.
This lack of direct electrical coupling suggests alternative communication mechanisms for microglia.
Findings contribute to understanding microglial behavior in health and disease, impacting neuroinflammation research.