Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Contact-dependent Signaling

Contact-dependent Signaling

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...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Hereditary angioedema and post traumatic stress disorder: a reciprocal relationship?

Orphanet journal of rare diseases·2026

Same author

Incriminating the inotrope: Dobutamine, eosinophilia, and myocarditis.

The journal of allergy and clinical immunology. Global·2026

Same author

Sustained Effectiveness, Tolerability, and Safety of Long-Term Prophylaxis with Lanadelumab in Hereditary Angioedema: The Prospective, Phase 4, Noninterventional EMPOWER Real-World Study.

Advances in therapy·2025

Same author

Establishing a hereditary angioedema prevalence for the United States using a large administrative claims database.

Annals of allergy, asthma & immunology : official publication of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology·2025

Same author

Adherence and persistence among patients with hereditary angioedema receiving long-term prophylaxis in the United States.

Allergy and asthma proceedings·2025

Same author

Hereditary Angioedema With Normal C1 Inhibitor: A Quarter Century of Forward Progress and Persisting Obstacles.

The journal of allergy and clinical immunology. In practice·2025

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 27, 2026

Contact-Free Co-Culture Model for the Study of Innate Immune Cell Activation During Respiratory Virus Infection

Contact-Free Co-Culture Model for the Study of Innate Immune Cell Activation During Respiratory Virus Infection

Published on: February 28, 2021

Laboratory Approaches for Assessing Contact System Activation.

Sandra C Christiansen¹, Bruce L Zuraw²

¹Department of Medicine, University of California, 9500 Gilman Drive, Mailcode 0732, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.

Immunology and Allergy Clinics of North America

|July 9, 2017

Summary

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) involves swelling attacks due to C1 inhibitor deficiency or normal levels. This review covers lab tests for contact system activation, aiding HAE diagnosis.

Keywords:

Bradykinin C1 inhibitor C1 inhibitor complexes C4 Contact system Hereditary angioedema Vascular permeability

More Related Videos

Contact Hypersensitivity as a Murine Model of Allergic Contact Dermatitis

Contact Hypersensitivity as a Murine Model of Allergic Contact Dermatitis

Published on: September 26, 2022

Field-Deployable Lens-Free Imaging Platform for Rapid Label-Free Analysis of Natural Killer Cell Activation

Field-Deployable Lens-Free Imaging Platform for Rapid Label-Free Analysis of Natural Killer Cell Activation

Published on: August 8, 2025

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Feb 27, 2026

Contact-Free Co-Culture Model for the Study of Innate Immune Cell Activation During Respiratory Virus Infection

Contact-Free Co-Culture Model for the Study of Innate Immune Cell Activation During Respiratory Virus Infection

Published on: February 28, 2021

Contact Hypersensitivity as a Murine Model of Allergic Contact Dermatitis

Contact Hypersensitivity as a Murine Model of Allergic Contact Dermatitis

Published on: September 26, 2022

Field-Deployable Lens-Free Imaging Platform for Rapid Label-Free Analysis of Natural Killer Cell Activation

Field-Deployable Lens-Free Imaging Platform for Rapid Label-Free Analysis of Natural Killer Cell Activation

Published on: August 8, 2025

Area of Science:

Immunology
Genetics
Pathophysiology

Background:

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare autosomal dominant disorder.
Characterized by recurrent, unpredictable swelling attacks (subcutaneous and mucosal).
Attacks can be severe, painful, disfiguring, and life-threatening.

Purpose of the Study:

To review laboratory parameters for detecting contact system activation.
To discuss the implications for diagnosing HAE and other bradykinin-mediated angioedemas.

Main Methods:

Review of literature on laboratory diagnostics for HAE.
Analysis of contact system activation markers.
Evaluation of diagnostic implications for various angioedema types.

Main Results:

HAE types I and II are linked to C1 inhibitor deficiency.
HAE with normal C1 inhibitor levels is also recognized.
Contact activation is implicated in the swelling attacks of HAE.

Conclusions:

Laboratory detection of contact system activation is crucial for HAE diagnosis.
Understanding these markers aids in differentiating HAE subtypes.
This knowledge supports the diagnosis of bradykinin-mediated angioedemas.