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Related Concept Videos

Gap Junctions01:37

Gap Junctions

54.9K
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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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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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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Notch Signaling Pathway03:14

Notch Signaling Pathway

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The Notch signaling pathway is a major intracellular signaling pathway that is highly conserved over a broad spectrum of metazoan species. It stands unique from other intracellular signaling mechanisms in animals because notch protein itself acts as the receptor as well as the primary signaling molecule.
The Notch gene came into the limelight in 1914 after the discovery that its mutation in Drosophila melanogaster leads to a serrated (or "notched") wing margin phenotype. It was not...
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Regulation of Expression Occurs at Multiple Steps02:24

Regulation of Expression Occurs at Multiple Steps

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Gene expression can be regulated at almost every step from gene to protein. Transcription is the step that is most commonly regulated. This involves the binding of proteins to short regulatory sequences on the DNA. This association can either promote or inhibit the transcription of a gene associated with the respective sequence.
Transcription results in the generation of precursor (pre-mRNA) that consists of both exons and introns, which needs further processing before being translated to a...
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Overview of Cell-Matrix Interactions01:24

Overview of Cell-Matrix Interactions

7.8K
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...
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Related Experiment Video

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Recording Gap Junction Current from Xenopus Oocytes
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GAP junctions: multifaceted regulators of neuronal differentiation.

Sarmistha Talukdar1,2, Luni Emdad1,2,3, Swadesh K Das1,2,3

  • 1Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States.

Tissue Barriers
|October 15, 2021
PubMed
Summary

Gap junctions, formed by connexin proteins, facilitate cell communication crucial for neuron development and function. Their dysfunction is linked to neurodegenerative diseases, highlighting their therapeutic potential in regenerative medicine.

Keywords:
Connexindifferentiationgap junctionsneuronstem cells

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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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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cell Biology
  • Regenerative Medicine

Background:

  • Gap junctions are intercellular channels formed by connexin proteins, enabling direct cytoplasmic exchange between adjacent cells.
  • These channels are vital for neuronal differentiation, maintenance, survival, and overall function.
  • Connexin expression levels correlate with neurogenesis stages and cell cycle changes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the multifaceted roles of gap junctions and connexins in neural development and function.
  • To investigate the involvement of gap junctions in stem cell differentiation and neuronal transdifferentiation.
  • To explore the therapeutic potential of gap junctions in neurodegenerative disorders and regenerative medicine.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on gap junctions, connexins, and neurogenesis.
  • Analysis of connexin expression patterns during neural development.
  • Examination of phenotypes in connexin knockout models and association with neurodegenerative diseases.

Main Results:

  • Gap junctions regulate neuronal differentiation from various stem cell sources.
  • Specific connexins (e.g., Cx36, Cx45, Cx26) are critical for neuronal function.
  • Connexin deficiencies lead to severe developmental defects and are implicated in neurodegeneration.

Conclusions:

  • Gap junctions are essential regulators of neural stem cell differentiation and neuronal function.
  • Dysregulation of connexins is associated with neurodegenerative conditions.
  • Targeting gap junctions offers a promising avenue for neuronal regenerative medicine, including neural stem cell integration and remyelination.