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 Experiment Videos

Structure of the junction between communicating cells

P N Unwin, G Zampighi

    Nature
    |February 7, 1980
    PubMed
    Summary
    This summary is machine-generated.

    Related Concept Videos

    You might also read

    Related Articles

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

    Sort by
    Same author

    The molecular organization of nerve membranes : VI. The separation of axolemma from schwann cell membranes of giant and retinal squid axons by density gradient centrifugation.

    The Journal of membrane biology·2013
    Same author

    Molecular characterization of Vibrio parahaemolyticus vSGLT: a model for sodium-coupled sugar cotransporters.

    The Journal of biological chemistry·2000
    Same author

    Tight junctions and the experimental modifications of lipid content.

    The Journal of membrane biology·1998
    Same author

    Preservation of structural and functional polarity in isolated epithelial cells.

    The American journal of physiology·1996
    Same author

    ATP depletion: a novel method to study junctional properties in epithelial tissues. I. Rearrangement of the actin cytoskeleton.

    Journal of cell science·1994
    Same author

    'Active' sugar transport in eukaryotes.

    The Journal of experimental biology·1994

    Researchers mapped the gap junction connexon at 18 angstroms resolution using electron microscopy. This structure reveals how the connexon

    Area of Science:

    • Cell biology
    • Structural biology
    • Biophysics

    Background:

    • Gap junctions facilitate direct cell-to-cell communication.
    • Connexons are the protein structures forming gap junctions.
    • Understanding connexon structure is key to regulating intercellular transport.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To determine the high-resolution structure of the gap junction connexon.
    • To elucidate the mechanism of connexon-mediated small molecule transport.

    Main Methods:

    • Electron microscopy was used to generate an 18-angstrom resolution map.
    • Analysis of connexon subunit configurations was performed.

    Main Results:

    • A detailed 18-angstrom resolution map of the gap junction connexon was obtained.

    Related Experiment Videos

  • The connexon was visualized as a cylinder of six tilted subunits.
  • Two distinct subunit arrangements were identified.

    • Conclusions:

    • The high-resolution structure provides insights into connexon assembly.
    • The identified subunit configurations suggest a mechanism for regulating molecule passage.
    • This structural information is crucial for understanding intercellular communication.