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Because of the widespread occurrence of gap junctions in cell types other than nerve cells, the term gap junction became more generally used than terms such as electrical synapse or nexus. Another dimension in the relationship between nerve cells and gap junctions was revealed by studying chemical synapse formation and gap junction presence.
A gap junction modulator is a compound or agent that either facilitates or inhibits the transfer of small molecules between biological cells by regulating gap junctions. [1] Various physiological processes including cardiac , neural or auditory , depend on gap junctions to perform crucial regulatory roles, and the modulators themselves are the ...
The pH sensitivity depends on the type of connexin composing the gap junction, but the channels generally close at a pH of 6.4-6.2. [8] [10] Under weak acidic conditions, the gap junction’s channels are observed to remain closed despite voltage changes, while under strong acidic conditions, the channels do open with voltage, but close ...
Connexins are commonly named according to their molecular weights, e.g. Cx26 is the connexin protein of 26 kDa. A competing nomenclature is the gap junction protein system, where connexins are sorted by their α (GJA) and β (GJB) forms, with additional connexins grouped into the C, D and E groupings, followed by an identifying number, e.g. GJA1 corresponds to Cx43.
Each gap junction (sometimes called a nexus) contains numerous gap junction channels that cross the plasma membranes of both cells. [11] With a lumen diameter of about 1.2 to 2.0 nm, [2] [12] the pore of a gap junction channel is wide enough to allow ions and even medium-size molecules like signaling molecules to flow from one cell to the next, [2] [13] thereby connecting the two cells' cytoplasm.
Gap junctions [5] (communicating junction) Tight junctions (occluding junctions) Invertebrates have several other types of specific junctions, for example septate junctions (a type of occluding junction) [4] or the C. elegans apical junction. In multicellular plants, the structural functions of cell junctions are instead provided for by cell walls.
This location is the gap junction, where connexons facilitate rapid cell-to-cell interactions via electrical transmissions. Gap junctions are often present at nerve endings such as in cardiac muscle and are important in maintaining homeostasis in the liver and proper function of the kidneys.
14622 Ensembl ENSG00000189280 ENSMUSG00000042357 UniProt O95377 Q02739 RefSeq (mRNA) NM_005268 NM_010291 RefSeq (protein) NP_005259 NP_034421 Location (UCSC) Chr 1: 34.76 – 34.76 Mb Chr 4: 127.25 – 127.25 Mb PubMed search Wikidata View/Edit Human View/Edit Mouse Gap junction beta-5 protein (GJB5), also known as connexin-31.1 (Cx31.1), is a protein that in humans is encoded by the GJB5 gene ...