OCULAR LENS GAP-JUNCTIONS - PROTEIN EXPRESSION, ASSEMBLY, AND STRUCTURE-FUNCTION ANALYSIS

Recent advances in understanding lens fiber gap junction formation are reviewed. These include studies of junctional protein expression in t he embryonic lens, and of age related changes affecting gap junction s tructure and composition in the adult lens. An in vitro assembly syste m based on detergent solubilized pore complexes and endogenous lipids has been developed to provide information on the molecular interaction s involved in gap junction formation and to provide material for struc ture analysis. Important information on the electrical properties of l ens gap junction channels is obtained using electrophysiological techn iques including planar lipid bilayer analysis and patch clamping. (C) 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.