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Gap junction‐mediated intercellular signalling in health and disease
Author(s) -
Wilkins Adam S.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
bioessays
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.175
H-Index - 184
eISSN - 1521-1878
pISSN - 0265-9247
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1521-1878(199808)20:8<686::aid-bies13>3.0.co;2-v
Subject(s) - citation , library science , operations research , computer science , telecommunications , medicine , engineering
The protein structural component of gap junctions is the connexin. Studies on the association properties of the connexins to form heteromeric connexons and heterotypic gap junctions are necessary for a complete understanding of the role of different connexins in gap junction function. The connexins are coded by a multigene family consisting of at least 16 members. Most cells express multiple types of connexin that can potentially associate to form gap junction channels containing more than one type of connexin. The permeability and gating characteristics of gap junction channels are dependent on the isoform and post-translational modifications present on the connexins and their association properties. Together with an observed selectivity in the association properties of the different connexins and the development of more specific perturbation approaches, these studies have provided insights into the significance of connexin diversity and the temporal expression patterns for connexins that have been determined in viva in both developmental and differentiating systems. 1999 Gap junction-mediated intercellular signalling in bealfh and disease. WiLiley, Chichester (Novartis Foundation Symposium 2 19) p 6-2 I It has been more than 30 years since the presence of a low resistance electrical pathway between adjacent crayfish axons was first described (Furshpan & Potter 1959). This was followed by the finding that these same pathways also existed in non-excitable cells, and that they allowed the passage of larger hydrophilic molecules without leakage into the extracellular space. These observations suggested that the channel responsible for these pathways must exist between the two cell membranes and be continuous. The membrane differentiation that was implicated in this pathway was ultimately identified as the gap junction. Connexin multigene family The gap junction was first clearly observed in its present form by electron microscopy as a septalaminar structure with a 2-4 nm space or ‘gap’ between two opposing cells. In en face views, a polygonal lattice of about 7.5 A subunits could be