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Cardiovascular Research 2004 62(2):225-227; doi:10.1016/j.cardiores.2004.03.001
© 2004 by European Society of Cardiology
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Copyright © 2004, European Society of Cardiology

Forming the network—gap junctions in the cardiovascular system

Stefan Dhein* and Habo J Jongsma

Heart Center of the University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
Department of Medical Physiology of the University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands

* Corresponding author. Clinic for Cardiac Surgery, Heart Centre Leipzig, University of Leipzig, Struempellstr. 39 04289 Leipzig, Germany. Tel.: +49-341-1044; fax: +49-341-1452. Email address: dhes@medizin.uni-leipzig.de

Received 24 February 2004; accepted 1 March 2004

The first 10% of the full text of this article appears below.

"Cells live together, but die singly," Engelmann wrote more than a century ago. Actually, this sentence describes very clearly the function of intercellular communication. Intercellular communication is maintained by gap junctional channels that connect neighboring cells and allow electrical and metabolic communication, thus forming a functional syncytium instead of a simple agglomeration of cells. Gap junctional channels are dodecameric channels consisting of two hexameric connexons provided by two neighboring cells. A connexon is made up of six proteins, the so-called connexins. In the heart, this gap junctional communication contributes to the biophysical properties of the tissue, subserving the propagation of the action potential and the maintenance of a regular beating rhythm. Disturbance of gap junctional communication is involved in arrhythmogenesis. Moreover, gap junction channels allow for exchange of metabolites and small molecules. In the vasculature, gap junctions participate in the regulation of vasomotor tone, especially upstream regulation. Finally, . . . [Full Text of this Article]


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