Which statement explains how gap junctions provide a biological advantage to animals?
A) The pores of gap junctions allow small molecules to pass from cell to cell, ensuring similar concentrations of signaling molecules in adjacent cells.
B) Gap junctions traverse the narrow space between the cell membranes of two adjacent cells (the "gap") by means of channel structures called connexons.
C) The channel pores in a gap junction are about 1.5 nm in diameter, which is too narrow for the passage of large molecules.
D) The walls of a connexon in a gap junction are composed of six subunits of the integral membrane protein connexin.
E) In adjacent cells, two connexons come together to form a gap junction that links the cytoplasms of the two cells.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Gap junctions allow small molecules such as signaling molecules to pass from cell to cell, thereby ensuring similar concentrations in adjacent cells. This communication among cells provides biological advantages such as coordinated contractions in cardiac muscle cells, synchronous firing of neurons, and cell growth control.

Which Statement Explains How Gap Junctions Provide a Biological Advantage