While gap junctions support the exchange of a number of molecules between neighboring
cells, connexin hemichannels provide communication between the cytosol and the …

Congenital cataracts, the most common cause of visual impairment and blindness in
children worldwide, have diverse etiologies. According to statistics analysis, about one …

Inflammation may be caused by a variety of factors and is a hallmark of a plethora of acute
and chronic diseases. The purpose of inflammation is to eliminate the initial cell injury …

Lens homeostasis and transparency are dependent on the function and intercellular
communication of its epithelia. While the lens epithelium is uniquely equipped with …

Background Gap junction protein alpha 3 (GJA3), an important pathogenic gene of
congenital cataracts, encodes the transmembrane protein connexin46, which functions as …

Connexins are assembled into dodecamer intercellular channels, a collection of which is
termed a gap junction, and their canonical function allowing direct exchange of ions and …

The concept of gap junctions and their role in intercellular communication has been known
for around 50 years. Considerable progress has been made in understanding the …

The transparency and refractive properties of the lens are maintained by the cellular
physiology provided by an internal microcirculation system that utilizes spatial differences in …

Charged multivesicular-body protein 4b (CHMP4B) is a core sub-unit of the endosomal
sorting complex required for transport-III (ESCRT-III) machinery that serves myriad …

Ionizing radiation is a proven human carcinogen and cataractogen. The crystalline lens of
the eye is among the most radiosensitive tissues in the body. A clouding of the normally …