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Adherens Junctions
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Are adherens junctions the same as gap junctions?

No, adherens junctions are not the same as gap junctions.

As the name implies, adherens junctions help cells adhere, either to other cells or to the extracellular matrix. These junctions are important for maintaining tissue barriers and keeping cells where they belong. Adherens junctions are composed of two types of proteins: the membrane spanning cadherins and their accessory proteins, the cateins.

Gap junctions are something like holes in the cell membranes between two cells. They allow for instant communication from cell to cell via ions and/or small proteins. Information is able to flow from the cytoplasm of one cell directly to the cytoplasm of its neighboring cell. Gap junctions are incredibly important in cardiac cells, allowing electric currents to flow quickly and keep heart muscle cell contractions coordinated. Gap junctions are composed of transmembrane proteins called connexins (in chordates) or innexins (in precordates).
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