Connexon rearrangement in cardiac gap junctions: evidence for cytoskeletal control?
Using ultrarapid-freezing techniques and freeze-fracture electron microscopy, we report here a close association between cardiac gap junctions and specialized membrane domains containing regularly-spaced furrows. These specialized furrowed domains are observed only during periods of gap junction re-organisation (i.e., connexon redistribution) and may reflect the presence of underlying cytoskeletal elements controlling the position of connexons in the membrane.
D000818:Animals; D017630:Connexins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000502:physiology*; D005614:Freeze Fracturing; D007365:Intercellular Junctions / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D051381:Rats
D017630:Connexins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins