Bell, C.L.; Shakespeare, T.I.; Smith, A.R.; Murray, S.A. Visualization of Annular Gap Junction Vesicle Processing: The Interplay Between Annular Gap Junctions and Mitochondria. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2018, 20, 44, doi:10.3390/ijms20010044.
Bell, C.L.; Shakespeare, T.I.; Smith, A.R.; Murray, S.A. Visualization of Annular Gap Junction Vesicle Processing: The Interplay Between Annular Gap Junctions and Mitochondria. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2018, 20, 44, doi:10.3390/ijms20010044.
Bell, C.L.; Shakespeare, T.I.; Smith, A.R.; Murray, S.A. Visualization of Annular Gap Junction Vesicle Processing: The Interplay Between Annular Gap Junctions and Mitochondria. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2018, 20, 44, doi:10.3390/ijms20010044.
Bell, C.L.; Shakespeare, T.I.; Smith, A.R.; Murray, S.A. Visualization of Annular Gap Junction Vesicle Processing: The Interplay Between Annular Gap Junctions and Mitochondria. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2018, 20, 44, doi:10.3390/ijms20010044.
Abstract
It is becoming clear that in addition to gap junctions, playing a role in cell-cell communication, gap junction proteins, connexins, located in cytoplasmic-compartments may have other important functions. Mitochondrial connexin 43 (Cx43) is increased after ischemic preconditioning and has been suggested to play a protective role in the heart. How Cx43 traffics to the mitochondria and the interactions of mitochondria with other Cx43-containing structures are unknown. In this study, immunocytochemical, super-resolution and transmission electron microscopy were used to detect cytoplasmic Cx43-containing structure and to demonstrate their interactions with other cytoplasmic organelles. The most prominent cytoplasmic Cx43-containing structures, annular gap junctions, were demonstrated to form intimate associations with lysosomes as well as with mitochondria. Surprisingly, the frequency of associations between mitochondria and annular gap junctions was greater than that between lysosomes and annular gap junctions. The benefits of annular gap junction/mitochondrial associations are not known. However, it is tempting to suggest that the contact between annular gap junction vesicles and mitochondria facilitates Cx43 deliver to the mitochondria. Furthermore, it points to the need for investigating trafficking of Cx43 to cytoplasmic compartments and annular gap junction as more than only a vesicle destined for degradation.
Keywords
gap junction; connexin; annular gap junction vesicle; mitochondria; lysosome
Subject
Biology and Life Sciences, Anatomy and Physiology
Copyright:
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