Gap Junctions

Definition

Gap junctions are specialized intercellular connections between certain animal cell-types that directly connect the cytoplasm of two cells, allowing various molecules, ions and electrical impulses to pass freely between cells.

Related terms

Connexons: These are proteins that make up gap junctions. They're like the actual door frames and doors in our analogy.

Tight Junctions: These are areas where membranes of two adjacent cells join together forming a virtually impermeable barrier. It's like sealing off a room so nothing can get in or out.

Desmosomes: These are structures by which two adjacent cells are attached, formed from protein plaques in the cell membranes linked by filaments. They're like heavy-duty bolts securing two things together.