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Related Concept Videos

Gap Junctions01:27

Gap Junctions

8.6K
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...
8.6K
Gap Junctions01:37

Gap Junctions

55.3K
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...
55.3K
Contact-dependent Signaling01:19

Contact-dependent Signaling

45.4K
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...
45.4K
Overview of Cell-Matrix Interactions01:24

Overview of Cell-Matrix Interactions

8.0K
The extracellular matrix or ECM holds cells together to form a tissue and allows the cells within the tissue to communicate. ECM comprises proteins such as fibronectin, collagen, laminin, etc. The most abundant protein in this space is collagen. Collagen fibers are interwoven with carbohydrate-containing protein molecules called proteoglycans. ECM allows cell migration and provides a structural scaffold at cell adhesion that anchors the cell when the extracellular matrix proteins interact with...
8.0K
Overview of Cell-Cell Junctions01:14

Overview of Cell-Cell Junctions

27.4K
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...
27.4K
Cell-matrix's Response to Mechanical Forces01:13

Cell-matrix's Response to Mechanical Forces

3.0K
In animal cells, the extracellular matrix allows cells within tissues to withstand external stresses and transmits signals from the outside of the cell to the inside. The extracellular matrix is extensive, and its composition varies between different types of tissues. For example, the reticular fibers and ground substance make up the ECM in loose connective tissue, while collagen and bone minerals make up the ECM of bone tissue. 
Anchoring junctions mechanically attach a cell to the...
3.0K

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 23, 2025

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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Morphology changes induced by intercellular gap junction blocking: A reaction-diffusion mechanism.

Javier Cervera1, Michael Levin2, Salvador Mafe1

  • 1Dept. Termodinàmica, Facultat de Física, Universitat de València, E-46100, Burjassot, Spain.

Bio Systems
|August 19, 2021
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Cellular communication via gap junctions (GJs) influences complex anatomical form. Blocking GJs alters morphogen distribution, reprogramming biological morphology and creating novel structures like planarian heads.

Keywords:
Gap junctionInformationMorphologyPhysiologicalPlanariaReaction-diffusion

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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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Modeling Biological Membranes with Circuit Boards and Measuring Electrical Signals in Axons: Student Laboratory Exercises
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Area of Science:

  • Developmental Biology
  • Biophysics
  • Systems Biology

Background:

  • Complex anatomical form arises from intercellular communication.
  • The precise role of gap junctional (GJ) states in regulating tissue morphology remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how blocking intercellular GJs affects multicellular system morphology.
  • To model the dynamics of morphogen diffusion and patterning under GJ blockade.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a biophysical modeling approach combining signaling molecules (morphogens).
  • Simulated anteroposterior and lateral morphology changes due to GJ blockade.
  • Assessed the impact of an external agent on intercellular GJ permeability and pattern establishment.

Main Results:

  • GJ blockade alters morphogen diffusion patterns, influencing morphological outcomes.
  • Demonstrated novel head morphologies in regenerating planaria due to GJ blockade.
  • Showcased how GJ regulation of morphogen permeability can produce diverse anatomies without altering gene networks.

Conclusions:

  • Gap junctional communication is a key regulator of biological morphology.
  • External manipulation of GJs can reprogram morphology by altering biochemical signals.
  • The model provides a reaction-diffusion framework for understanding morphogenetic pattern formation.