» Articles » PMID: 20086076

Lens Gap Junctions in Growth, Differentiation, and Homeostasis

Overview
Journal Physiol Rev
Specialty Physiology
Date 2010 Jan 21
PMID 20086076
Citations 140
Authors
Affiliations
Soon will be listed here.
Abstract

The cells of most mammalian organs are connected by groups of cell-to-cell channels called gap junctions. Gap junction channels are made from the connexin (Cx) family of proteins. There are at least 20 isoforms of connexins, and most tissues express more than 1 isoform. The lens is no exception, as it expresses three isoforms: Cx43, Cx46, and Cx50. A common role for all gap junctions, regardless of their Cx composition, is to provide a conduit for ion flow between cells, thus creating a syncytial tissue with regard to intracellular voltage and ion concentrations. Given this rather simple role of gap junctions, a persistent question has been: Why are there so many Cx isoforms and why do tissues express more than one isoform? Recent studies of lens Cx knockout (KO) and knock in (KI) lenses have begun to answer these questions. To understand these roles, one must first understand the physiological requirements of the lens. We therefore first review the development and structure of the lens, its numerous transport systems, how these systems are integrated to generate the lens circulation, the roles of the circulation in lens homeostasis, and finally the roles of lens connexins in growth, development, and the lens circulation.

Citing Articles

Calcium induced N-terminal gating and pore collapse in connexin-46/50 gap junctions.

Flores J, ONeill S, Jarodsky J, Reichow S bioRxiv. 2025; .

PMID: 39990482 PMC: 11844560. DOI: 10.1101/2025.02.12.637955.


Reversible lipid mediated pH-gating of connexin-46/50 by cryo-EM.

Jarodsky J, Myers J, Reichow S bioRxiv. 2025; .

PMID: 39990409 PMC: 11844525. DOI: 10.1101/2025.02.12.637953.


Measuring the viability of crystalline lens epithelial cells by triple Hoechst-Ethidium-Calcein-AM staining.

Poinard S, Parveau L, Chapelon G, Dorado O, Thomas J, He Z Mol Vis. 2025; 30:478-487.

PMID: 39959176 PMC: 11829786.


Deficiency in glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) results in abnormal lens development and newborn cataract.

Wei Z, Hao C, Radeen K, Hao Z, Kettimuthu K, Maner-Smith K Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2024; 121(48):e2407842121.

PMID: 39560644 PMC: 11621771. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2407842121.


Ankyrin-B is required for the establishment and maintenance of lens cytoarchitecture, mechanics and clarity.

Maddala R, Allen A, Skiba N, Rao P J Cell Sci. 2024; 137(24).

PMID: 39558792 PMC: 11795289. DOI: 10.1242/jcs.262349.


References
1.
Berry V, Mackay D, Khaliq S, Francis P, Hameed A, Anwar K . Connexin 50 mutation in a family with congenital "zonular nuclear" pulverulent cataract of Pakistani origin. Hum Genet. 1999; 105(1-2):168-70. DOI: 10.1007/s004399900094. View

2.
Bassnett S . Intracellular pH regulation in the embryonic chicken lens epithelium. J Physiol. 1990; 431:445-64. PMC: 1181783. DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.1990.sp018339. View

3.
Francis D, Stergiopoulos K, Cao F, Taffet S, Delmar M . Connexin diversity and gap junction regulation by pHi. Dev Genet. 1999; 24(1-2):123-36. DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1520-6408(1999)24:1/2<123::AID-DVG12>3.0.CO;2-H. View

4.
Jacobs M, Soeller C, Sisley A, Cannell M, Donaldson P . Gap junction processing and redistribution revealed by quantitative optical measurements of connexin46 epitopes in the lens. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2003; 45(1):191-9. DOI: 10.1167/iovs.03-0148. View

5.
Reaume A, Sousa P, Kulkarni S, Langille B, Zhu D, Davies T . Cardiac malformation in neonatal mice lacking connexin43. Science. 1995; 267(5205):1831-4. DOI: 10.1126/science.7892609. View