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Related Concept Videos

Gap Junctions01:37

Gap Junctions

56.8K
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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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...
46.8K
Ligand-gated Ion Channels01:19

Ligand-gated Ion Channels

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Ligand-gated ion channels are transmembrane proteins with a channel for ions to pass through and a binding site for a ligand. The channel opens only when a ligand attaches to the binding site.
Three Subfamilies of Ligand-gated Ion Channels
Ligand-gated ion channels fall into three subfamilies. The 'Cys-loop' includes the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glycine, and 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors. The second one is the 'Pore-loop' channels that...
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Mechanically-gated Ion Channels01:12

Mechanically-gated Ion Channels

7.5K
Mechanically-gated ion channels are proteins found in eukaryotic and prokaryotic cell membranes that open in response to mechanical stress. Tension, compression, swelling, and shear stress can alter the conformation of the protein, opening a transmembrane channel that allows the passage of ions for signal transmission. In eukaryotes, mechanically-gated channels are distributed in several regions like the neurons, lungs, skin, bladder, and heart, where they play critical roles in numerous...
7.5K
Ligand-Gated Ion Channel Receptor: Gating Mechanism01:30

Ligand-Gated Ion Channel Receptor: Gating Mechanism

3.7K
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...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 11, 2026

Mechanical Stimulation-induced Calcium Wave Propagation in Cell Monolayers: The Example of Bovine Corneal Endothelial Cells
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Decoding Connexin Hemichannels: Structure, Function, and Regulatory Mechanisms.

Isaac E García1,2, Jorge E Contreras3

  • 1Laboratorio de Fisiología Molecular y Biofísica, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile.

Annual Review of Physiology
|November 11, 2025
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Connexin hemichannels facilitate cellular communication and are implicated in diseases. This review explores their function, regulation, and therapeutic potential.

Keywords:
connexingap junctiongatinghemichannelpermeationpost-translational modificationsstructural dynamics

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Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Biochemistry
  • Physiology

Background:

  • Connexin hemichannels are crucial for cell-to-cell communication, ion, and metabolite transport.
  • Their roles in disease are known, but physiological functions require further investigation.
  • Mechanisms of hemichannel gating, permeation, and regulation are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent advancements in understanding connexin hemichannel function.
  • To explore molecular determinants of hemichannel opening, closing, and regulation.
  • To highlight therapeutic potential in various disease contexts.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of foundational insights and recent advancements.
  • Analysis of molecular mechanisms governing hemichannel gating and permeation.
  • Integration of findings on structural adaptations and signaling interactions.

Main Results:

  • Hemichannel function is linked to cellular signaling networks.
  • Structural adaptations modulate hemichannel permeation and gating.
  • Emerging concepts in hemichannel regulation are identified.

Conclusions:

  • Connexin hemichannels play vital roles in tissue homeostasis and cellular signaling.
  • Further understanding of hemichannel regulation is critical.
  • Connexin hemichannels represent promising therapeutic targets for diseases.