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Related Concept Videos

Gap Junctions01:37

Gap Junctions

58.2K
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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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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Notch Signaling Pathway03:14

Notch Signaling Pathway

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The Notch signaling pathway is a major intracellular signaling pathway that is highly conserved over a broad spectrum of metazoan species. It stands unique from other intracellular signaling mechanisms in animals because notch protein itself acts as the receptor as well as the primary signaling molecule.
The Notch gene came into the limelight in 1914 after the discovery that its mutation in Drosophila melanogaster leads to a serrated (or "notched") wing margin phenotype. It was not...
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Anchoring Junctions01:03

Anchoring Junctions

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Anchoring junctions are multiprotein complexes that help cells connect to other cells and the extracellular matrix. Anchoring junctions are present on the lateral and basal surfaces of cells, providing strong and flexible connections. Focal adhesions are often formed due to cell interactions with the ECM substrata, which initiate signal transduction via kinase cascades and other mechanisms. Together, they provide stability and tissue integrity. There are three types of anchoring junctions:...
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Computational Analysis of the Caenorhabditis elegans Germline to Study the Distribution of Nuclei, Proteins, and the Cytoskeleton
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Gap junctions in C. elegans: Their roles in behavior and development.

David H Hall1

  • 1Department of Neuroscience, Center for C. elegans Anatomy, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, 10461.

Developmental Neurobiology
|June 14, 2016
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Caenorhabditis elegans uses gap junctions extensively. Its numerous innexin genes allow for diverse junction types and redundancy, impacting development and behavior.

Keywords:
heteromericheterotypicinnexinnematode

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Area of Science:

  • Neurobiology
  • Cell Biology
  • Developmental Biology

Background:

  • Gap junctions are vital for intercellular communication in virtually all Caenorhabditis elegans cells.
  • C. elegans possesses a large repertoire of innexin genes, facilitating diverse gap junction formations.
  • Cellular expression of multiple innexins allows for functional redundancy, masking single gene knockout effects.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the fundamental properties of C. elegans gap junctions.
  • To summarize the expression patterns of innexin genes in C. elegans.
  • To elucidate the roles of gap junctions in tissue development and the C. elegans connectome.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of existing studies on C. elegans gap junctions and innexins.
  • Analysis of gene expression data and functional studies.
  • Integration of findings related to neurodevelopment and connectomics.

Main Results:

  • C. elegans gap junctions exhibit diverse structures and functions due to multiple innexin expression.
  • Innexin gene redundancy limits the phenotypic impact of single gene disruptions.
  • Gap junctions play critical roles in C. elegans tissue development and neural circuit organization.

Conclusions:

  • The complexity of the C. elegans gap junction system contributes to robust development and behavior.
  • Understanding these junctions is key to deciphering cellular communication and tissue morphogenesis.
  • Further research into innexin diversity can reveal novel insights into nervous system function.