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Related Concept Videos

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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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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Targeted Cancer Therapies02:57

Targeted Cancer Therapies

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The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against...
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Mutagenicity and Carcinogenicity01:25

Mutagenicity and Carcinogenicity

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Mutagenicity and carcinogenicity refer to the ability of drugs to cause genetic defects and induce cancer, respectively. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies agents into four groups based on their carcinogenic potential. Group 1 agents are known human carcinogens; group 2A agents are probably carcinogenic to humans; group 3 agents lack data to support their role in carcinogenesis; and group 4 includes agents for which data support that they are not likely to be...
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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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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.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 17, 2025

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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Targeting gap junctional intercellular communication by hepatocarcinogenic compounds.

Kaat Leroy1, Alanah Pieters1, Andrés Tabernilla1

  • 1Department of In Vitro Toxicology and Dermato-Cosmetology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel , Brussels, Belgium.

Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health. Part B, Critical Reviews
|June 23, 2020
PubMed
Summary

Chemicals can harm liver gap junctions, crucial for tissue health and preventing cancer. Studying these effects may help identify harmful substances using in vitro biomarkers.

Keywords:
in vitroin vivoConnexingap junction intercellular communicationhemichannelhepatocarcinogenicitynon-genotoxic carcinogenic compoundsrisk assessment

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Area of Science:

  • Toxicology
  • Cell Biology
  • Hepatology

Background:

  • Gap junctions are vital for liver tissue homeostasis and function.
  • These cellular structures are susceptible to damage from various toxins and diseases, including cancer.
  • Understanding chemical impacts on gap junctions is key to liver health research.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review chemicals that disrupt liver gap junctions.
  • To explore the mechanisms behind these adverse effects.
  • To discuss the potential of gap junctional activity as a biomarker for non-genotoxic hepatocarcinogens.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of scientific studies on chemical-induced gap junction dysfunction in the liver.
  • Analysis of mechanistic pathways involved in toxicity.
  • Evaluation of gap junctional activity as a predictive biomarker.

Main Results:

  • Identified various chemical classes, including toxins, solvents, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, peroxides, metals, and phthalates, that compromise liver gap junctions.
  • Elucidated mechanistic scenarios underlying chemical-induced gap junction disruption.
  • Highlighted the potential of using gap junctional activity as an in vitro biomarker.

Conclusions:

  • Chemicals pose a significant threat to liver gap junction integrity.
  • Mechanistic understanding of these interactions is crucial for toxicological assessment.
  • Gap junctional activity shows promise as an in vitro biomarker for identifying non-genotoxic hepatocarcinogenic chemicals.