Apatient suffering from Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease displays progressive degeneration of peripheral nerves, distal muscle weakness and atrophy, and defects in deep tendon reflexes. This condition is associated with an abnormal mutation in the gene encoding connexin-32. Connexins are normally found in which type of cell junctions?
(A) communicating (gap) junction
(B) hemidesmosome
© macula adherens (spot desmosome)
(D) occluding (tight) junction
(E) zonula adherens (belt desmosome)
Explanation
(A) Communicating (gap) junctions are formed by connexins, which associate together in groups of six to form connexons. The alignment of connexions between two cells allows for direct channels of communication between their cytoplasms, facilitating the transfer of molecules such as calcium or cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). Hemidesmosome (choice B), macula adherens (spot desmosome; choice C), and zonula adherens (belt desmosome; choice E) are classified as anchoring junctions. They are associated with intermediate filaments (hemidesmosome and macula adherens) or with actin microfilaments (zonula adherens), but not connexins. Occluding (tight) junctions (choice D) contain the proteins occludin and claudin but not connexin.