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Gap junctions. Structural changes after uncoupling procedures

C Peracchia

    The Journal of Cell Biology
    |March 1, 1977
    PubMed
    Summary
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    Uncoupling procedures alter rat stomach and liver gap junction structure, causing particle aggregation and tighter packing. These changes in connexon arrangement suggest conformational shifts linked to functional uncoupling.

    Area of Science:

    • Cell biology
    • Biophysics
    • Structural biology

    Background:

    • Gap junctions mediate cell-to-cell communication.
    • Their structure is crucial for cellular function and integrity.
    • Understanding structural changes during uncoupling is key to cellular signaling research.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate structural alterations in rat stomach and liver gap junctions following uncoupling procedures.
    • To correlate freeze-fracture morphology with functional uncoupling states.
    • To explore potential conformational changes in gap junction particles.

    Main Methods:

    • Freeze-fracture electron microscopy was employed to visualize gap junction structure.
    • Rat stomach and liver tissues were subjected to various uncoupling treatments, including metabolic inhibition (2,4-dinitrophenol), hypoxia, and hypertonic sucrose perfusion.

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  • Particle spacing and arrangement within gap junctions were analyzed.

    • Main Results:

    • Uncoupling treatments induced particle aggregation and hexagonal packing in gap junctions, reducing particle spacing from ~10.4 nm to ~8.5 nm.
    • Hypoxia and 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP) treatment in stomach and liver tissues showed similar particle aggregation patterns.
    • Separated junctional membranes in sucrose-treated liver exhibited tightly packed particles, and preliminary data suggested a decrease in particle diameter.

    Conclusions:

    • Structural rearrangements, including particle aggregation and tighter packing, occur in gap junctions during functional uncoupling.
    • These morphological changes likely reflect conformational alterations within connexon subunits.
    • The findings provide insights into the biophysical basis of gap junction regulation and communication.