Reconstitution of gap junction channels into planar lipid bilayers

Reconstitution of ion channels into lipid bilayers is a powerful technique that has permitted detailed biophysical analysis of channel properties. We have used it to reconstitute membrane fractions highly enriched in gap junctions derived from rat liver into asolectin painted artificial membranes. The reconstituted material displayed at least two channel populations: large conductance voltage-dependent channels, and smaller conductance voltage-independent channels, which could not be differentiated on the basis of calcium and pH sensitivity. Some, but not all, of the properties of there constituted junctional membranes were quite similar to those observed in gap junctions between dissociated hepatocytes