Distance between two (apposing) membrane leaflets of cells coupled by gap junction

Range ~2 - 3 nm
Organism Metazoa animals
Reference Connors BW, Long MA. Electrical synapses in the mammalian brain. Annu Rev Neurosci. 2004 27: 393-418 DOI: 10.1146/annurev.neuro.26.041002.131128 p.394 4th paragraphPubMed ID15217338
Method Electron microscopy using the freeze-fracture technique.
Comments P.394 4th paragraph: "Gap Junctions and Connexins: The most visible and common structural correlate of electrical synapses is the gap junction, which is seen most readily with electron microscopy using the freeze-fracture technique. Gap junctions are clusters of connexin-containing channels that are coextensive across regions of apposing membranes of coupled cells (Evans & Martin 2002). A gap of extracellular space separates the two membrane leaflets, usually by ∼2–3 nm. Gap junctions between neurons have been observed in the majority of cases where electrophysiological evidence for electrical synapses is well established." See Bloomfield and Völgyi, 2009, PMID 19491906 p.495 right column bottom paragraph: "Gap junctions, the morphological substrate of electrical synapses, are composed of two hemichannels, or connexons, that link across an extracellular space of 2–4nm (FIG. 1a)."
Entered by Uri M
ID 117162