High-resolution, fluorescence deconvolution (DV) microscopy was implemented to obtain a detailed view of the organization and structural composition of gap junctions assembled from one or two different connexin isotypes in live and fixed cells. To visualize gap junctions, the structural protein components of gap junction channels, the connexin polypeptides alpha1(Cx43), beta1(Cx32), and beta2(C...

abstract a cardiovascular problem is one of the common complications of diabetes. connexin is the predominant protein subunit in gap junction structure which is important in communication between cells. considering the role of connexin, this question can be created in the mind whether changes in phosphorylated connexin 43 occurs in diabetics thoracic aorta or not? 20 male wistar rats (30050g) ...

Considerable evidence indicates a critical role for dopamine in the reinforcing effects of cocaine. Because dopamine has been shown to be a critical modulator of gap junction communication in both eye and brain, we sought to examine whether extended intravenous cocaine self-administration would affect the expression of gap junction channel-forming proteins (connexins). Using ELISA, Western anal...

Previous studies have indicated an intimate linkage between gap junction and adherens junction formation. It was suggested this could reflect the close membrane-membrane apposition required for junction formation. In NIH3T3 cells, we observed the colocalization of connexin43 (Cx43alpha1) gap junction protein with N-cadherin, p120, and other N-cadherin-associated proteins at regions of cell-cell...

OBJECTIVES Infants with slight/mild or late-onset hearing impairment might be missed in universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS). We identified the mutation hot spot of common deaf gene in the newborns in Jinan area population by screening the mutation spot with neonate cord blood, in order to make clear whether the neonate cord blood for screening is feasible. METHODS Six hundred and forty...

It was thought previously that cardiac muscle gap junctions provide low-resistance connections between cells and permit the local-circuit current to flow. Some evidences show that myocardial cells may not require low-resistance connections for successful propagation of the action potential (AP). It seems that some other types of mechanisms must be involved in AP propagation. In this article, we...

PURPOSE: Pannexin 3 (Panx3) is a gap junction protein. We have previously shown that Panx3 plays multiple channel functions: 1) as a hemichannel to regulate intracellular ATP/cAMP levels between cells and the extracellular space, 2) as an ER calcium channel to regulate calcium flux within the cell, and 3) a gap junction to exchange ions and small molecules between cells. However, the role of Pa...

PURPOSE: Pannexin 3 (Panx3) is a gap junction protein. We have previously shown that Panx3 plays multiple channel functions: 1) as a hemichannel to regulate intracellular ATP/cAMP levels between cells and the extracellular space, 2) as an ER calcium channel to regulate calcium flux within the cell, and 3) a gap junction to exchange ions and small molecules between cells. However, the role of Pa...

A total of 74 human embryos were stained with gap junction protein specific anti-peptide antibodies an antibodies to the desmosomal protein desmoplakin to reveal the expression pattern of intercellular junctions during preimplantation development. Prior to implantation, the human embryo expresses predominantly connexin (Cx43)-containing gap junctions. Gap junctions were first detected in apposi...

Gap junctional communication is important in many physiological processes, including growth control, patterning, and the synchronization of cell-to-cell activities. It has been difficult to study the synthesis and assembly of gap junctions due to their low abundance. To overcome this limitation, baby hamster kidney cells (BHK) have been transfected with a human β1 (Cx32) connexin cDNA construct...