Image produced using the Nanoimager S microscope. This 3D, 2-color channel STORM image is used to examine the interaction between gap junctions (Cx43) and mitochondria in cultured astrocytes. Depth is displayed as green-red color-coding (LUT). A string of gap junction plaques are seen in the left image (yellow-orange structures) connect two astrocytes (one above in the image, one below). In the right panel is a zoomed in image reconstruction showing an endocytic vesicle containing Cx43 gap junction protein (yellow-green sphere) and a nearby mitochondrion (elongated cyan-purple structure).
Video explaining how gap junctions form and how experiments with fluorescent protein-tagged gap junctions are carried out.
Fly through a gap junction:
VR-based 3D Illustration of gap junction transendocytosis