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Related Concept Videos

Gap Junctions01:37

Gap Junctions

52.9K
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

25.5K
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...
25.5K
Contact-dependent Signaling01:19

Contact-dependent Signaling

44.6K
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...
44.6K
Tight Junctions01:29

Tight Junctions

5.3K
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...
5.3K
Anchoring Junctions01:03

Anchoring Junctions

3.8K
Anchoring junctions are multiprotein complexes that help cells connect to other cells and the extracellular matrix. Anchoring junctions are present on the lateral and basal surfaces of cells, providing strong and flexible connections. Focal adhesions are often formed due to cell interactions with the ECM substrata, which initiate signal transduction via kinase cascades and other mechanisms. Together, they provide stability and tissue integrity. There are three types of anchoring junctions:...
3.8K
Adherens Junctions01:24

Adherens Junctions

4.8K
Strong contact points between adjacent cells anchor them to each other, forming tissues. Such anchoring junctions are of two types –  adherens junctions and desmosomes. Adherens junctions are abundant in tissues such as  epithelium and endothelium, forming a continuous zone of adhesion called the adhesion belt. In other tissues, such as  heart muscle, they appear as clusters, linking the cells to produce coordinated heart muscle contraction.
Adherens Junctions are Dynamic
4.8K

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Recording Gap Junction Current from Xenopus Oocytes
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Gap Junctions in Ctenophora.

Andrea B Kohn1, Leonid L Moroz2,3

  • 1Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience, University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL, USA.

Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)
|April 26, 2024
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Ctenophores possess diverse innexins (gap junction proteins) with unique modifications, suggesting complex cellular communication and functions across their development and tissues, especially in the aboral organ.

Keywords:
EvolutionInnexinMnemiopsisPannexinPhylogenyPleurobrachiaPosttranslational modificationsCtenophora

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Area of Science:

  • Zoology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Evolutionary Biology

Background:

  • Gap junction proteins, like innexins, mediate intercellular communication and electrical synapses, crucial for cellular signaling and metabolism.
  • Ctenophores, or comb jellies, represent an early-branching animal lineage, offering insights into the evolution of metazoan development and physiology.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To conduct a molecular inventory of innexin (INX-like) proteins in ctenophores, focusing on diversity and evolutionary expansion.
  • To investigate the structural, functional, and expression patterns of ctenophore innexins across development and adult tissues.

Main Methods:

  • Bioinformatic analysis to identify and characterize innexin genes across multiple ctenophore species.
  • Prediction of post-translational modifications and sequence identity analysis.
  • RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and in situ hybridization to determine innexin expression patterns.

Main Results:

  • Innexins were identified in over 15 ctenophore species, indicating independent family expansion from a common ancestor.
  • Ctenophore innexins exhibit conserved topology but high diversity in exon organization and low sequence identity, differing from other phyla.
  • Predicted post-translational modifications are numerous and non-conserved, suggesting vast potential for functional diversity.
  • Innexins are expressed throughout ctenophore embryogenesis and are abundant in adult tissues, particularly the aboral organ, tentacles, and comb plates, with unique combinations per tissue.

Conclusions:

  • Ctenophore innexins display remarkable molecular diversity, driven by independent gene expansion and variable post-translational modifications.
  • The unique expression patterns of innexins across tissues suggest their critical roles in complex integrative functions and behaviors of ctenophores.
  • This study highlights the extensive diversity of gap junction proteins in ctenophores, offering a unique model for studying intercellular communication evolution.