page_title: Gap junction modulation
hierarchical_section_title: Gap junction modulation
caption_attribution_description: Name: Biology ID: 185cbf87-c72e-48f5-b51e-f14f21b5eabd@9.17 Language: English Summary: Biology is designed for multi-semester biology courses for science majors. It is grounded on an evolutionary basis and includes exciting features that highlight careers in the biological sciences and everyday applications of the concepts at hand. To meet the needs of today’s instructors and students, some content has been strategically condensed while maintaining the overall scope and coverage of traditional texts for this course. Instructors can customize the book, adapting it to the approach that works best in their classroom. Biology also includes an innovative art program that incorporates critical thinking and clicker questions to help students understand—and apply—key concepts. Subjects: Science and Technology Keywords: cells,DNA,gene,expressio,nphylogeny,conservation,biodiversity,biology,chemistry,evolution,proteins,bacteria,fungi,cell,membranes,inheritance,physiology,ecology,genetics,biotechnology,biosphere,photosynthesis,biological,molecules,cell structure,metabolismc,ellular respiration,genes,cell communication,cell reproduction,meiosis,sexual reproduction,genomics,study of life,cell function,animal diversity,animal reproduction,plant nutrition,soilseedless plantsplant physiologyplant reproductionanimal bodycirculatory systemdigestive systemendocrine systemnervous systemrespiratory systemorigin of speciesecosystemsarchaeasensory systemosmotic regulationimmune systemvertebratesviruspopulation ecologymusculoskeletal systembehavioral biologyanimal biologyanimal physiologybiology for majorscollege biologyeukaryotesinvertebratesmacromoleculesplant biologypopulation evolutionprokaryotesprotistsseed plants Print Style: CCAP Biology License: Creative Commons Attribution License (by 4.0) Authors: OpenStax Copyright Holders: Rice University Publishers: OpenStax OpenStax Biology Latest Version: 10.53 First Publication Date: Aug 22, 2012 Latest Revision: May 27, 2016 Last Edited By: OpenStax Biology
context_page_description: Gap junction modulation describes the functional manipulation of gap junctions, specialized channels that allow direct electrical and chemical communication between cells without exporting material from the cytoplasm. Gap junctions play an important regulatory role in various physiological processes including signal propagation in cardiac muscles and tissue homeostasis of the liver. Modulation is required, since gap junctions must respond to their environment, whether through an increased expression or permeability. Impaired or altered modulation can have significant health implications and are associated with the pathogenesis of the liver, heart and intestines.
  Modulation is achieved by endogenous chemicals, growth factors, hormones and proteins that affect gap junction expression, structure, degradation and permeability. Natural forms of modulation include voltage gating and chemical modulation. Voltage-gating is a relatively fast modulation categorized into Vj gating and slow voltage gating, which are further influenced by calcium ions, pH and calmodulin.
context_section_description: Gap junction modulation describes the functional manipulation of gap junctions, specialized channels that allow direct electrical and chemical communication between cells without exporting material from the cytoplasm. Gap junctions play an important regulatory role in various physiological processes including signal propagation in cardiac muscles and tissue homeostasis of the liver. Modulation is required, since gap junctions must respond to their environment, whether through an increased expression or permeability. Impaired or altered modulation can have significant health implications and are associated with the pathogenesis of the liver, heart and intestines.
  Modulation is achieved by endogenous chemicals, growth factors, hormones and proteins that affect gap junction expression, structure, degradation and permeability. Natural forms of modulation include voltage gating and chemical modulation. Voltage-gating is a relatively fast modulation categorized into Vj gating and slow voltage gating, which are further influenced by calcium ions (Ca²⁺), pH and calmodulin. Chemical modulation entails the addition or removal of a functional group or protein from the connexin subunits of gap junctions; this can alter gap junction expression and structure.
caption: Structure and location of gap junctions on cellular membranes.
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