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Related Concept Videos

Gap Junctions01:27

Gap Junctions

9.9K
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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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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Protein Networks02:26

Protein Networks

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An organism can have thousands of different proteins, and these proteins must cooperate to ensure the health of an organism. Proteins bind to other proteins and form complexes to carry out their functions. Many proteins interact with multiple other proteins creating a complex network of protein interactions.
These interactions can be represented through maps depicting protein-protein interaction networks, represented as nodes and edges. Nodes are circles that are representative of a protein,...
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Tight Junctions01:29

Tight Junctions

7.8K
Tight junctions are molecular seals between cells that prevent the leaking of fluids, ions, and other small solutes across cavities and compartments in multicellular organisms. They are mainly composed of claudin and occludin transmembrane proteins, and other proteins such as tricellulin and JAM (junctional adhesion molecule). All these proteins are 4-pass transmembrane proteins, except JAM, which is a single-pass transmembrane protein belonging to the immunoglobulin superfamily. The...
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Introduction to Connective Tissues01:11

Introduction to Connective Tissues

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Connective tissues are one of the four main tissue types in humans that are extensively present in the body. They are characterized by cells embedded in an extracellular matrix (ECM) composed of a ground substance and three main types of protein fibers— collagen, elastic, and reticular fibers. The ground substance of connective tissues can range from a watery and jelly-like consistency to mineralized and hard. The wide variety of cells in the connective tissues include fibroblasts,...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 23, 2026

Mechanical Stimulation-induced Calcium Wave Propagation in Cell Monolayers: The Example of Bovine Corneal Endothelial Cells
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SnapShot: Connexins and Disease.

Dale W Laird1, Christian C Naus2, Paul D Lampe3

  • 1Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A 5C1, Canada.

Cell
|September 9, 2017
PubMed
Summary

Connexin proteins form gap junctions for cell communication. Mutations in these proteins cause human diseases by disrupting gap junction function.

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Area of Science:

  • Cell biology
  • Molecular biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Connexins are essential membrane proteins that form gap junctions.
  • Gap junctions facilitate direct intercellular communication and maintain cellular homeostasis.
  • Dysregulation of connexin function is linked to various human diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review mutations in connexin proteins.
  • To understand the impact of these mutations on gap junction function.
  • To highlight connexin-associated human pathologies.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of connexin mutations and associated diseases.
  • Analysis of the functional consequences of connexin mutations on gap junctions.

Main Results:

  • Specific connexin mutations identified in human pathologies.
  • Detailed description of how these mutations alter gap junction channel properties.
  • Examples of diseases linked to specific connexin defects.

Conclusions:

  • Connexin mutations are a significant cause of human diseases.
  • Understanding these mutations is crucial for developing therapeutic strategies.
  • Further research into connexin biology and pathology is warranted.