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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...
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...
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...
Diversity of Antigen Receptors01:28

Diversity of Antigen Receptors

Antigen receptors are essential components of the immune system crucial in defending the body against foreign invaders. These receptors are present on the surface of B and T cells, enabling them to recognize antigens and mount an appropriate immune response.
Before encountering any antigen, lymphocytes express these receptors. On B cells, the antigen receptor is a membrane-bound antibody molecule called BCR; on T cells, it is a T cell receptor or TCR. B and T cell receptors are composed of two...
Antigen Processing Pathways01:31

Antigen Processing Pathways

MHC molecules are key players in the immune response, enabling T cells to recognize and respond to specific antigens. They are present on the surface of all nucleated cells in the body and are instrumental in presenting antigens to T cells and activating them. T cells recognize the MHC-antigen complex and initiate an immune response. MHC class I and MHC class II are two main types of MHC molecules, each associated with a distinct antigen processing pathway.
MHC Class I: Presenting Endogenous...
B Cell Activation and Differentiation01:24

B Cell Activation and Differentiation

The adaptive immune response, a sophisticated defense mechanism, relies on the activation and differentiation of B lymphocytes, or B cells. These processes enable our bodies to mount a tailored response against specific pathogens such as bacteria, free virus particles, toxins, and parasites.
When naive B cells encounter a specific antigen that can bind to the B cell receptor (BCR) on their surface, they undergo sensitization to respond to the antigen's presence. Sensitization begins with...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 25, 2026

Highly Resolved Intravital Striped-illumination Microscopy of Germinal Centers
10:07

Highly Resolved Intravital Striped-illumination Microscopy of Germinal Centers

Published on: April 10, 2014

Gap-junction communication pathways in germinal center reactions

T Krenacs1, M Rosendaal

  • 1Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, University College London, England.

Developmental Immunology
|August 26, 1998
PubMed
Summary

Gap junctions, or intercellular channels, facilitate rapid cell communication. This study reveals their presence and function in germinal centers, suggesting roles in B-cell selection and immune response regulation.

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Last Updated: Jul 25, 2026

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Analysis of Somatic Hypermutation in the JH4 intron of Germinal Center B cells from Mouse Peyer's Patches
09:35

Analysis of Somatic Hypermutation in the JH4 intron of Germinal Center B cells from Mouse Peyer's Patches

Published on: April 20, 2021

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Cell Biology
  • Histology

Background:

  • Gap junctions are crucial for intercellular communication in multicellular organisms.
  • Their presence and function in lymphoid organs, particularly germinal centers, are recently discovered.
  • Previous understanding of lymphoreticular system regulation focused on cytokines, growth factors, and adhesion molecules.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the presence and function of gap junctions in germinal center reactions.
  • To propose roles for gap junctions in the immune response within lymphoid tissues.
  • To explore direct cell-cell communication pathways in the lymphoreticular system.

Main Methods:

  • Immunohistological and ultrastructural analysis to detect connexin43 (Cx43) gap junctions.
  • In situ hybridization to confirm Cx43 mRNA expression in germinal centers.
  • Fluorescent dye (Lucifer Yellow) microinjection into FDC-B cell fractions from human tonsils.

Main Results:

  • Connexin43 (Cx43) gap junctions were abundant in germinal centers, particularly on follicular dendritic cells (FDC) enveloping B cells.
  • Gap junctions were observed on FDC forming meshworks following antigen challenge.
  • Dye transfer experiments showed communication between adjacent FDC and from FDC to B cells.

Conclusions:

  • Gap junctions may regulate follicle pattern formation and FDC growth.
  • They likely play a role in FDC-B cell signaling, aiding in the survival of selected B cells.
  • Gap junctions might enable FDC to function as a syncytium, integrating germinal center events.