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NALT Concept Space
U.S. Department of Agriculture

NALT Full

Concept information

  1. Fields of Study
  2. cell biology
  3. intercellular junctions
  4. gap junctions

Preferred term

gap junctions

Type

  • Topic

Definition

  • Information Connections between cells which allow passage of small molecules and electric current. Gap junctions were first described anatomically as regions of close apposition between cells with a narrow (1-2 nm) gap between cell membranes. The variety in the properties of gap junctions is reflected in the number of connexins, the family of proteins which form the junctions.

    Source: Medical Subject Headings

    Type: Concept definition

Broader concept

Related concepts

Scope note

  • Use for the communication of neurons through direct electrical connections (electrical synapses); For the specialized junctions at which a neuron communicates with a target cell via chemical transmitters USE synapse.

In other languages

URI

https://lod.nal.usda.gov/nalt/28576

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RDF/XML TURTLE JSON-LD Created 1/19/06, last modified 3/27/17