Gap Junctions in Smooth Muscle

Daniel, E. E.

doi:10.1007/978-1-4613-1917-7_5

Cited by 17 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 103 publications

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“…However, many studies using the Abe-Tomita technique have revealed space constants of 1.0 to 1.5 mm (Tomita, 1975), whereas cell lengths are found to be from 0.3 to 0.6 mm (Gabella, 1981). Thus, it can be concluded that intestinal LM cells are coupled, probably, but not certainly, by GJs (see Daniel, 1987). Values of in the Abe-Tomita technique may be suspect if obtained without complete removal of the CM, which (see below) is well coupled electrically with numerous GJs.…”

Section: Current Considerations Where Are Gjs Found In Intestinal Smoothmentioning

confidence: 91%

“…1A), the smooth muscle cells were found to have protrusions that fitted into sockets or endings on adjacent smooth muscle cells with the pocket for the protrusion isolated from the extracellular space by a concentric ring of intermediate contacts (Daniel et al,1976;Daniel, 1987;Gabella, 1981). It has been speculated that this or other close contacts between cells allow electrical coupling without GJs contact (Daniel,1987;Lui et al, 1995;.…”

Section: Current Considerations Where Are Gjs Found In Intestinal Smoothmentioning

confidence: 93%

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Gap junctions in intestinal smooth muscle and interstitial cells of Cajal

Daniel

1999

Microsc. Res. Tech.

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Section: Current Considerations Where Are Gjs Found In Intestinal Smoothmentioning

confidence: 91%

Section: Current Considerations Where Are Gjs Found In Intestinal Smoothmentioning

confidence: 93%

Gap junctions in intestinal smooth muscle and interstitial cells of Cajal

Daniel

1999

Microsc. Res. Tech.

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“…The gap junctions are characterized by the close apposition, but not fusion, of the adjacent plasma membranes, the overall thickness of the junction being approximately double the thickness of the plasma membrane. Gap junctions are thought to provide the structural basis for electrical coupling between cells (see Gabella, 1981Gabella, , 1992Daniel, 1987).…”

Section: Intercellular Relationshipsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neurotransmitter release mechanisms at the sympathetic neuroeffector junction

Brock

Cunnane²

1993

Experimental Physiology

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“…In smooth muscle, as in the heart, gap junctions permit electrical coupling (7) but common properties of the other tissues that contain connexin43 are unclear. However, we now have developed appropriate connexin-specific antibody probes that will facilitate the study of gap junction function in these diverse locations.…”

Section: Connexin43 Is a Gap Junction Protein In Other 7issuesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Antisera directed against connexin43 peptides react with a 43-kD protein localized to gap junctions in myocardium and other tissues.

Beyer

Kistler

Paul

et al. 1989

The Journal of Cell Biology

488

187

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Abstract. Rat heart and other organs contain mRNA coding for connexin43, a polypeptide homologous to a gap junction protein from liver (connexin32). To provide direct evidence that connexin43 is a cardiac gap junction protein, we raised rabbit antisera directed against synthetic oligopeptides corresponding to two unique regions of its sequence, amino acids 119-142 and 252-271. Both antisera stained the intercalated disc in myocardium by immunofluorescence but did not react with frozen sections of liver. Immunocytochemistry showed anti-connexin43 staining of the cytoplasmic surface of gap junctions in isolated rat heart membranes but no reactivity with isolated liver gap junctions. Both antisera reacted with a 43-kD polypeptide in isolated rat heart membranes but did not react with rat liver gap junctions by Western blot analysis. In contrast, an antiserum to the conserved, possibly extracellular, sequence of amino acids 164-189 in connexin32 reacted with both liver and heart gap junction proteins on Western blots. These findings support a topological model of connexins with unique cytoplasmic domains but conserved transmembrane and extracellular regions. The connexin43-specific antisera were used by Western blots and immunofluorescence to examine the distribution of connexin43. They demonstrated reactivity consistent with gap junctions between ovarian granulosa cells, smooth muscle cells in uterus and other tissues, fibroblasts in cornea and other tissues, lens and corneal epithelial cells, and renal tubular epithelial cells. Staining with the anticonnexin43 antisera was never observed to colocalize with antibodies to other gap junction proteins (connexin32 or MP70) in the same junctional plaques. Because of limitations in the resolution of the immunofluorescence, however, we were not able to determine whether individual cells ever simultaneously express more than one connexin type.AP junctions are membrane specializations that permit the exchange of small metabolites and ions between neighboring cells. While gap junctions and intercellular communication have been studied in a number of cell and tissue types, the structure of gap junctions has been best studied in rat liver where the interhepatocyte gap junctions have been shown to be composed of collections of membrane channels, called connexons, joined in mirror symmetry with connexons in the membrane of the adjacent cell (5, 24). The complete cDNA corresponding to a structural protein of the connexon has been cloned from rat and human liver (22,32). We have suggested the name connexin32 for this protein, based on its predicted molecular mass of 32 kD (2). Connexin32 has been confirmed as a gap junction protein by structural and functional criteria (6, 32).Data from cDNA and protein sequencing suggest that there is a family of related connexin proteins (2,-3, 21, 30). We have used low-stringency hybridization to clone an homologous cDNA from a rat heart library, which predicts a protein of 43 kD called connexin43 (2). The size of connexin43 and its amino-termi...

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Gap Junctions in Smooth Muscle

Cited by 17 publications

References 103 publications

Gap junctions in intestinal smooth muscle and interstitial cells of Cajal

Gap junctions in intestinal smooth muscle and interstitial cells of Cajal

Neurotransmitter release mechanisms at the sympathetic neuroeffector junction

Antisera directed against connexin43 peptides react with a 43-kD protein localized to gap junctions in myocardium and other tissues.

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