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Article: Disruption of connexin43 and ZO-1 interaction alters the size and distribution of gap junctions.(SOUTH CAROLINA JUNIOR ACADEMY OF SCIENCE ABSTRACTS)(Brief article)
- Article from:
- Bulletin of the South Carolina Academy of Science
- Article date:
- January 1, 2005
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2005 South Carolina Academy of Science. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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The gap junction (GJ) is an aggregate of intercellular channels that links the cytoplasm of neighboring cells and allows small molecules such as ions to pass between these cells. Within the mammalian heart, the distribution of connexin43 (Cx43)-containing gap junctions is essential to facilitating the coordinated spread of electrical activation throughout the cardiac muscle cells (cardiomyocytes) and allowing the heart to contract properly. Disruptions in GJ distribution patterns in the adult heart are thought to be linked directly to cardiac disease and arrhythmia. Recently, the protein zonula-occludens-1 (ZO-1) has been suggested to have an important role in the ...