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Altered gap junctional communication, intercellular signaling, and growth in cultured astrocytes deficient in connexin43
Author(s) -
Naus Christian C.G.,
Bechberger John F.,
Zhang Yuchun,
Venance Laurent,
Yamasaki Hiroshi,
Juneja Subhash C.,
Kidder Gerald M.,
Giaume Christian
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
journal of neuroscience research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.72
H-Index - 160
eISSN - 1097-4547
pISSN - 0360-4012
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-4547(19970901)49:5<528::aid-jnr3>3.0.co;2-d
Subject(s) - gap junction , astrocyte , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , intracellular , glial fibrillary acidic protein , immunostaining , connexin , calcium in biology , neuroglia , cell junction , calcium signaling , cell , neuroscience , immunology , central nervous system , biochemistry , immunohistochemistry
Astrocytes are characterized by extensive intercellular communication mediated primarily by gap junction channels composed of connexin43. To examine this junctional protein in astrocytic functions, astrocytes were cultured from embryonic mice with a null mutation in the connexin43 gene (Reaume et al.: Science 267:1831–1834, 1995). Using anti‐Cx43 antibodies, immunoblotting and immunostaining indicated that homozygous null astrocytes were devoid of Cx43. They are also deficient in intercellular dye transfer. Astrocytes cultured from heterozygous embryos express significantly lower Cx43 compared to wild type, and their dye coupling is reduced. Markers of glial differentiation, such as glial fibrillary acidic protein and S100, appeared similar in all genotypes. Measurement of intercellular calcium concentration following mechanical stimulation of confluent astrocytes revealed that the number of cells affected by a rise in intracellular calcium was reduced in homozygous cultures compared to wild type. In fact, the calcium response in homozygous astrocytes was similar to that observed in wild‐type astrocytes in the presence of a gap junction blocker. The growth rate of astrocytes lacking Cx43 was reduced compared to wild‐type astrocytes. These results suggest that gap junctional intercellular communication mediated by Cx43 is not critical for astrocyte differentiation but is likely involved in the regulation of intercellular calcium signaling and cell growth. J. Neurosci. Res. 49:528–540, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.