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Related Concept Videos

Contact-dependent Signaling01:19

Contact-dependent Signaling

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...
Overview of Cell-Cell Junctions01:14

Overview of Cell-Cell Junctions

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 Junctions
Tight...
Tight Junctions01:29

Tight Junctions

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...
Gap Junctions01:27

Gap Junctions

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...
Gap Junctions01:37

Gap Junctions

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...
Endocrine Signaling01:45

Endocrine Signaling

Endocrine cells produce hormones to communicate with remote target cells found in other organs. The hormone reaches these distant areas using the circulatory system. This exposes the whole organism to the hormone but only those cells expressing hormone receptors or target cells are affected. Thus, endocrine signaling induces slow responses from its target cells but these effects also last longer.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 11, 2026

A Mimic of the Tumor Microenvironment: A Simple Method for Generating Enriched Cell Populations and Investigating Intercellular Communication
09:52

A Mimic of the Tumor Microenvironment: A Simple Method for Generating Enriched Cell Populations and Investigating Intercellular Communication

Published on: September 20, 2016

Interstitial Spaces: A Basolateral Source of Structure and Signals.

Rebecca G Wells1, Neil D Theise2

  • 11Departments of Medicine and Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA;

Annual Review of Cell and Developmental Biology
|June 9, 2026
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The mammalian interstitium, a body-wide network of fluid-filled spaces, is now understood to exist at multiple scales. This interconnected system plays a crucial role in signaling and fluid dynamics throughout the body.

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The Subventricular Zone En-face: Wholemount Staining and Ependymal Flow
14:33

The Subventricular Zone En-face: Wholemount Staining and Ependymal Flow

Published on: May 6, 2010

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 11, 2026

A Mimic of the Tumor Microenvironment: A Simple Method for Generating Enriched Cell Populations and Investigating Intercellular Communication
09:52

A Mimic of the Tumor Microenvironment: A Simple Method for Generating Enriched Cell Populations and Investigating Intercellular Communication

Published on: September 20, 2016

The Subventricular Zone En-face: Wholemount Staining and Ependymal Flow
14:33

The Subventricular Zone En-face: Wholemount Staining and Ependymal Flow

Published on: May 6, 2010

Area of Science:

  • Anatomy
  • Physiology
  • Extracellular Matrix Biology

Background:

  • The mammalian interstitium, previously viewed as a simple space, is now recognized as a complex, body-wide network.
  • Recent research reveals its presence at three interconnected scales: intercellular, pericapillary, and large interstitial spaces.
  • These spaces, including fascia and vascular adventitia, are filled with hyaluronic acid and diverse extracellular matrices.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review how the multiscale anatomic concept of the interstitium reframes previous findings.
  • To identify new research questions arising from the body-wide, multiscale nature of the interstitium.
  • To explore the interstitium's role in fluid flow and as a signaling compartment.

Main Methods:

  • Review of recent anatomical and physiological studies on the mammalian interstitium.
  • Analysis of data concerning interstitial matrix composition and cell trafficking.
  • Identification of emerging research questions based on the multiscale interstitial concept.

Main Results:

  • The interstitium is a continuous, multiscale network throughout the body.
  • Large interstitial spaces contain complex extracellular matrices supporting various signaling pathways.
  • The interstitium acts as a significant compartment for soluble factor, mechanical, and electrical signaling.

Conclusions:

  • The redefined concept of the interstitium necessitates re-examination of existing biological data.
  • New avenues of research are opened regarding interstitial fluid dynamics and signaling.
  • The interstitium is a dynamic and integral component of mammalian physiology.