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Related Concept Videos

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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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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Gap Junctions01:37

Gap Junctions

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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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Enlargement of the Plasma Membrane01:22

Enlargement of the Plasma Membrane

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Cell division and enlargement are processes that require precise control. The control ensures that cell division cannot proceed unless the cell has grown to a specific size. A spherical, dividing cell requires an approximately 1.6X increase in its surface area to double its volume. The secretory pathway also has a significant role in cell membrane enlargement. Secretory vesicles that bud off from the Golgi apparatus and later fuse with the plasma membrane during exocytosis are a major source of...
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What are Membranes?01:24

What are Membranes?

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A cell's plasma membrane demarcates the cell's borders and determines the nature of its interaction with the environment. Cells exclude certain substances, take in others, and excrete some others in controlled quantities. The plasma membrane must be flexible to allow certain cells, such as red and white blood cells, to change their shape while passing through narrow capillaries. These are the more obvious plasma membrane functions. In addition, the plasma membrane's surface carries...
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What are Membranes?01:54

What are Membranes?

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A key characteristic of life is the ability to separate the external environment from the internal space. To do this, cells have evolved semi-permeable membranes that regulate the passage of biological molecules. Additionally, the cell membrane defines a cell’s shape and interactions with the external environment. Eukaryotic cell membranes also serve to compartmentalize the internal space into organelles, including the endomembrane structures of the nucleus, endoplasmic reticulum and...
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Determination of Plasma Membrane Partitioning for Peripherally-associated Proteins
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Determination of Plasma Membrane Partitioning for Peripherally-associated Proteins

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ER-plasma membrane junctions: Why and how do we study them?

Chi-Lun Chang1, Yu-Ju Chen1, Jen Liou1

  • 1Department of Physiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.

Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta. Molecular Cell Research
|May 31, 2017
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-plasma membrane (PM) junctions are crucial for cell communication. Recent discoveries, particularly STIM1

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A Functional Assay for Gap Junctional Examination; Electroporation of Adherent Cells on Indium-Tin Oxide
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A Functional Assay for Gap Junctional Examination; Electroporation of Adherent Cells on Indium-Tin Oxide
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Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Membrane Biology

Background:

  • Endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-plasma membrane (PM) junctions are specialized membrane microdomains facilitating intercellular communication.
  • Historically overlooked in non-excitable cells, ER-PM junctions gained prominence following the 2005 discovery of STIM1's role in Ca2+ signaling.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the historical context and recent advancements in understanding ER-PM junctions.
  • To highlight novel tools for ER-PM junction visualization and mechanistic insights into their regulation and function.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of early studies and recent research on ER-PM junctions.
  • Discussion of newly developed tools for labeling and studying ER-PM junctions.

Main Results:

  • Significant progress in characterizing ER-PM junction regulation and function over the past decade.
  • Development of advanced tools enabling detailed investigation of these membrane microdomains.

Conclusions:

  • ER-PM junctions are vital cellular communication hubs with broad functional significance.
  • Continued research, aided by new tools, is rapidly expanding our knowledge of ER-PM junction biology.