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Related Concept Videos

Gap Junctions01:37

Gap Junctions

58.5K
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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Patch Clamp01:18

Patch Clamp

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Many fundamental cell functions such as muscle contraction and nerve transmission rely on the electrical signals produced by the movement of positively and negatively charged ions across the cell membrane. One competent method to record current flowing across the whole cell or single ion channel is the patch-clamp technique.
In this method, a glass micropipette containing electrolyte solution is tightly sealed against a small portion of the cell membrane. As a result, a patch of the cell...
7.5K
Contact-dependent Signaling01:19

Contact-dependent Signaling

48.8K
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...
48.8K
Overview of Cell-Matrix Interactions01:24

Overview of Cell-Matrix Interactions

9.9K
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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Overview of Cell-Cell Junctions01:14

Overview of Cell-Cell Junctions

32.1K
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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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 1, 2026

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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A new high-throughput screening-compatible gap junctional intercellular communication assay.

Ju Yeon Lee1, Eun Ju Choi2, Jinu Lee3

  • 1College of Pharmacy, Yonsei Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Yonsei University, 85 Songdogwahak-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, 406-840, South Korea. whitewndus@naver.com.

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|October 8, 2015
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Summary

A new high-throughput screening assay was developed to identify gap junction (GJ) modulators. This rapid, inexpensive assay system demonstrates high quality for drug discovery targeting GJ intercellular communication.

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A Functional Assay for Gap Junctional Examination; Electroporation of Adherent Cells on Indium-Tin Oxide
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Gap Junctional Intercellular Communication: A Functional Biomarker to Assess Adverse Effects of Toxicants and Toxins, and Health Benefits of Natural Products
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A Functional Assay for Gap Junctional Examination; Electroporation of Adherent Cells on Indium-Tin Oxide
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Gap Junctional Intercellular Communication: A Functional Biomarker to Assess Adverse Effects of Toxicants and Toxins, and Health Benefits of Natural Products
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Area of Science:

  • Pharmacology
  • Cell Biology
  • Drug Discovery

Background:

  • Gap junctions (GJs) facilitate intercellular communication, allowing passage of molecules under 1 kDa.
  • GJs are recognized as potential targets for therapeutic drug development.
  • A robust high-throughput screening (HTS) system is essential for identifying GJ modulators.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop and validate a novel HTS assay for detecting modulators of GJ intercellular communication (GJIC).

Main Methods:

  • A co-culture system using LN215 glioma cells engineered to express SLC26A4 (donor) and YFP(QL) (acceptor) was established.
  • Iodide transport into donor cells, diffusion through GJs, and subsequent quenching of YFP(QL) fluorescence measured GJIC.
  • Assay performance was evaluated using vehicle and carbenoxolone, with Z' factor calculated to assess quality.

Main Results:

  • The assay demonstrated optimal performance at a 2:1 donor to acceptor cell ratio.
  • A high Z' factor (≥0.70) was achieved within 10 seconds, indicating excellent assay quality for HTS.
  • The system proved effective in both LN215 glioma and HOS osteosarcoma cell lines.

Conclusions:

  • A novel, rapid, and cost-effective HTS assay for GJ modulators has been successfully developed.
  • The assay exhibits high quality (Z' factor ≥0.70) and is suitable for large-scale screening.
  • This system is predicted to yield a low rate of false-positive hits, facilitating efficient drug discovery.