Cascio Michael
Department of Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, United States.
Biochim Biophys Acta. 2005 Jun 10;1711(2):142-53. doi: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2004.12.001. Epub 2004 Dec 16.
Intercellular communication is mediated through paired connexons that form an aqueous pore between two adjacent cells. These membrane proteins reside in the plasma membrane of their respective cells and their activity is modulated by the composition of the lipid bilayer. The effects of the bilayer on connexon structure and function may be direct or indirect, and may arise from specific binding events or the physicochemical properties of the bilayer. While the effects of the bilayer and its constituent lipids on gap junction activity have been described in the literature, the underlying mechanisms of the interaction of connexin with its lipidic microenvironment are not as well characterized. Given that the information regarding connexons is limited, in this review, the specific roles of lipids and the properties of the bilayer on membrane protein structure and function are described for other ion channels as well as for connexons.
细胞间通讯是通过成对的连接子介导的，连接子在两个相邻细胞之间形成一个水性孔道。这些膜蛋白存在于各自细胞的质膜中，其活性受脂质双层组成的调节。双层膜对连接子结构和功能的影响可能是直接的或间接的，可能源于特定的结合事件或双层膜的物理化学性质。虽然文献中已经描述了双层膜及其组成脂质对间隙连接活性的影响，但连接蛋白与其脂质微环境相互作用的潜在机制尚未得到充分表征。鉴于关于连接子的信息有限，在本综述中，描述了脂质的特定作用以及双层膜对其他离子通道和连接子的膜蛋白结构和功能的特性。
