MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF INTERCELLULAR COMMUNICATION

本研究将探讨差距结的结构与功能 作为细胞间通讯的场所。 连接结构将是 使用X射线衍射、电子显微镜和 生物化学 将比较心脏、肝脏和透镜组织的缝隙连接。 将通过蛋白水解片段的肽图谱进行比较， 从不同缝隙连接中分离的主要多肽 准备工作 缝隙连接的功能和生物起源将通过以下方式进行研究： 产生针对所述透镜间隙连接主肽的单克隆抗体。 的 抗体将用于缝隙连接的细胞和分子生物学研究 生物合成和组装，寻找来自透镜的mRNA的初级转录物 匀浆和具有荧光抗体的接合外抗原。 冻结 替代放射自显影将用于研究代谢合作， 器官水平。

The proposed research will study the structure and function of the gap junction as the site of intercellular communication. The junction structure will be studied using techniques of x-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, and biochemistry. Gap junctions from heart, liver and lens tissue will be compared. Comparison will be made by peptide mapping of proteolysis fragments of principal polypeptides electrophoretically isolated from different gap junction preparations. The function and biogenesis of gap junctions will be studied by raising monoclonal antibodies to the lens gap junction principal peptide. The antibodies will be used to study the cell and molecular biology of gap junction biosynthesis and assembly, looking for primary transcripts of mRNA from lens homogenates, and extrajunctional antigens with fluorescent antibodies. Freeze substitution autoradiography will be used to study metabolic cooperation at the organ level.