Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Gap Junctions01:37

Gap Junctions

56.9K
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...
56.9K
Gap Junctions01:27

Gap Junctions

9.4K
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...
9.4K
Antiepileptic Drugs: Modulators of Neurotransmitter Release Mediated by SV2A Protein01:20

Antiepileptic Drugs: Modulators of Neurotransmitter Release Mediated by SV2A Protein

822
Antiepileptic drugs, such as levetiracetam (Keppra) and brivaracetam (Briviact), have emerged as crucial tools in managing epilepsy. These medications exert their therapeutic effects by targeting the synaptic vesicle protein SV2A, a transmembrane glycoprotein primarily found in the brain.
SV2A is a transmembrane glycoprotein located predominantly in the brain, modulating the release of neurotransmitters for neuronal communication. Both levetiracetam and brivaracetam exhibit a high affinity for...
822
Overview of Cell-Cell Junctions01:14

Overview of Cell-Cell Junctions

28.8K
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...
28.8K
Non-gated Ion Channels01:24

Non-gated Ion Channels

8.0K
Ion channels are specialized proteins on the plasma membrane that allow charged ions to pass down their electrochemical gradient. Their main function is to maintain the membrane potential which is critical for cell viability. These channels are either gated or non-gated and can transport more than a thousand ions within milliseconds for the cellular event to occur.
Compared to the gated ion channels, the non-gated channels, also known as leakage or passive channels, have no gating mechanism....
8.0K
Ligand-Gated Ion Channel Receptor: Gating Mechanism01:30

Ligand-Gated Ion Channel Receptor: Gating Mechanism

3.8K
Ligand-gated ion channels are transmembrane proteins that play a vital role in intercellular communication and functions of the nervous system. They allow the influx of ions across the membrane once the neurotransmitter binds, allowing the subsequent transmission of electrical excitation across the neurons. Other ligand-gated ion channels, like the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor, permit anions like chloride into the cells on the binding of the GABA molecule. Their entry into the cell...
3.8K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

The prenylated pUS2 protein of pseudorabies virus contributes to phosphorylation of connexin 43 and suppression of gap junctional intercellular communication.

Journal of virology·2026
Same author

Pseudorabies virus infection induces IRF1-dependent PANoptosis to provoke the excessive release of HMGB1 and IL-1β.

Communications biology·2026
Same author

Human infection with pseudorabies virus: review of evidence, risk assessment, and future directions.

Journal of virology·2026
Same author

New Voices in Virology: our inaugural cohort.

Journal of virology·2026
Same author

Pseudorabies virus IE180 protein hijacks G3BPs into the nucleus to inhibit stress granule formation.

Journal of virology·2025
Same author

Impairment of endocytosis-related factors FNBP1L, ARHGAP24, and ATP6V1B1 increases HIV-1 entry into dendritic cells.

Journal of virology·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 15, 2026

Mechanical Stimulation-induced Calcium Wave Propagation in Cell Monolayers: The Example of Bovine Corneal Endothelial Cells
10:46

Mechanical Stimulation-induced Calcium Wave Propagation in Cell Monolayers: The Example of Bovine Corneal Endothelial Cells

Published on: July 16, 2013

16.6K

Deceiving the gatekeepers: virus modulation of gap junctions.

Alexander Tishchenko1, Fien Van Raemdonck1, Herman W Favoreel1

  • 1Department of Translational Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.

Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews : MMBR
|October 15, 2025
PubMed
Summary

Viruses manipulate gap junction intercellular communication (GJIC) by altering connexin proteins to promote spread and suppress immunity. This viral strategy mirrors cancer cell changes, offering therapeutic targets.

Keywords:
connexingap junctionsimmune evasionmanipulationoncogenesisvirus

More Related Videos

A Functional Assay for Gap Junctional Examination; Electroporation of Adherent Cells on Indium-Tin Oxide
11:02

A Functional Assay for Gap Junctional Examination; Electroporation of Adherent Cells on Indium-Tin Oxide

Published on: October 18, 2014

10.3K
Modeling Biological Membranes with Circuit Boards and Measuring Electrical Signals in Axons: Student Laboratory Exercises
13:56

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

Published on: January 18, 2011

23.2K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 15, 2026

Mechanical Stimulation-induced Calcium Wave Propagation in Cell Monolayers: The Example of Bovine Corneal Endothelial Cells
10:46

Mechanical Stimulation-induced Calcium Wave Propagation in Cell Monolayers: The Example of Bovine Corneal Endothelial Cells

Published on: July 16, 2013

16.6K
A Functional Assay for Gap Junctional Examination; Electroporation of Adherent Cells on Indium-Tin Oxide
11:02

A Functional Assay for Gap Junctional Examination; Electroporation of Adherent Cells on Indium-Tin Oxide

Published on: October 18, 2014

10.3K
Modeling Biological Membranes with Circuit Boards and Measuring Electrical Signals in Axons: Student Laboratory Exercises
13:56

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

Published on: January 18, 2011

23.2K

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Virology
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Gap junctions (GJs) facilitate direct cell-to-cell communication, crucial for tissue homeostasis and immune responses.
  • Connexin protein regulation (composition, trafficking, modification) dictates GJ function.
  • Viruses from diverse families target GJs and connexins.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review viral strategies for modulating gap junction intercellular communication (GJIC).
  • To explore the functional consequences of viral-induced GJIC alterations.
  • To identify shared mechanisms between viral and non-viral cellular transformation.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review synthesizing current knowledge on virus-GJ interactions.
  • Analysis of viral mechanisms affecting connexin expression, localization, and stability.
  • Integration of findings across multiple DNA and RNA virus families.

Main Results:

  • Viruses employ diverse mechanisms like phosphorylation, degradation, and altered expression to control GJIC.
  • Viral modulation of GJIC aids viral spread, immune evasion (e.g., cGAMP/STING pathway), and oncogenesis.
  • GJIC downregulation/reprogramming in viral transformation resembles that in non-viral cancers.

Conclusions:

  • GJIC modulation is a central axis in virus-host interactions.
  • Viral manipulation of GJIC contributes to cellular transformation, similar to cancer.
  • Targeting GJIC offers potential therapeutic strategies for viral infections.