The Role of Gap Junction Proteins in Infertility

2010 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Piyush Tripathi ◽  
Manorama Tripathi
Keyword(s):  
Gap Junction ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Growth Control ◽  
Successful Outcome ◽  
Basic Unit ◽  
Junction Protein ◽  
Gap Junction Proteins ◽  
Infertility Patients ◽  
Junction Proteins

ABSTRACT Testis and ovary serve an important role of producing male and female gametes. Their normal functioning is very important for the proper formation of sperm and ovum and thus has a critical role in the successful fertility outcome. Synchronized activity of various cells in the gonads is needed to provide favorable niche for the growth and development of the germ cells. Among various ways of cellular communication, intercellular communication is mediated by gap junctions, which provides open but selective exchange of ion and molecules of restricted size between two adjoining cells. The basic unit of gap junction is connexins. Their important role has been speculated in the maintenance of homeostasis, morphogenesis, cell differentiation, and growth control in higher organisms. The expression of gap junction proteins in reproductive tissues has drawn the attention and interest of researcher to investigate their role in the reproductive outcome. The reports about the correlation of gap junction protein expression pattern in infertility patients and in animal models have suggested their implication in fertility. Some of these gap junction proteins seem to have redundant functions, whereas some could be very critical in the normal fertility and could not be dispensable for the successful outcome of the reproduction.

scholarly journals Role of gap junction proteins in primary fiber cell elongation

2008 ◽  
Vol 86 ◽  
pp. 0-0
Author(s):  
J GRAW ◽  
O PUK ◽  
M HORSCH ◽  
J BECKERS
Keyword(s):  
Gap Junction ◽  
Cell Elongation ◽  
Fiber Cell ◽  
Gap Junction Proteins ◽  
Junction Proteins

scholarly journals Gap junction proteins and cell-cell communication in the three functional zones of the adrenal gland

2002 ◽  
Vol 173 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
KT Davis ◽  
N Prentice ◽  
VL Gay ◽  
SA Murray
Keyword(s):  
Adrenal Gland ◽  
Gap Junction ◽  
Adrenal Cortex ◽  
Adrenal Glands ◽  
Lucifer Yellow ◽  
Cx43 Expression ◽  
Junction Protein ◽  
Gap Junction Protein ◽  
Gap Junction Proteins ◽  
Junction Proteins

Mouse and monkey adrenal glands were used to study the relationships between gap junction protein expression, intercellular communication and adrenal zonation. Dye communication patterns were determined by incubating freshly excised and hemisected adrenal glands in Lucifer yellow, a gap junction permeable fluorescent dye. Immunohistochemical techniques were used to localize adrenal gap junction proteins. The combination of these two techniques permitted the correlation of gap junction proteins with dye transfer and hormone responses in specialized regions of the adrenal cortex. Lucifer yellow dye communication was most pronounced in the inner glucocorticoid/androgen-producing regions (zona fasciculata/zona reticularis), but was virtually absent in the outer mainly mineralocorticoid-producing region (zona glomerulosa). This pattern of dye communication was coincident with immunohistochemical localization of the gap junction protein, alpha(1)Cx43. The variations in communication and alpha(1)Cx43 expression within the adrenal cortex are thought to be relevant to normal physiological regulation of the adrenal gland.

scholarly journals Connecting Exosomes and Connexins

Cancers ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 476 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanna Gemel ◽  
John Kilkus ◽  
Glyn Dawson ◽  
Eric Beyer
Keyword(s):  
Gap Junction ◽  
Extracellular Vesicles ◽  
Recipient Cell ◽  
Adherens Junction ◽  
Adherens Junction Protein ◽  
Junction Protein ◽  
Endoplasmic Reticulum Protein ◽  
Gap Junction Protein ◽  
Junction Proteins

Intercellular communication is accomplished by passage of ions and small molecules through gap junction channels in directly contacting cells or by secretion and response to transmitters, hormones and extracellular vesicles in cells that are distant from each other. Recent studies have suggested that there may be overlap of these processes; specifically, small extracellular vesicles may contain subunit gap junction proteins, connexins. We isolated and analyzed extracellular vesicles secreted by cultured microvascular endothelial cells. These vesicles had a diameter of ~120 nm. They contained four exosomal proteins (flotillin-1, CD63, CD81 and Alix) and the gap junction protein, connexin43. They did not contain an endoplasmic reticulum protein (Grp94) or an adherens junction protein (VE-cadherin). Secretion of vesicles was increased by treatment of the cells with staurosporine. Our data confirm that the gap junction protein, connexin43, can be secreted in vesicles with the properties of exosomes. Although the role of vesicular connexin is not clearly known, we speculate that it might participate in docking/fusion of the exosomes with the recipient cell, transmission of vesicular contents, or cellular signaling.

scholarly journals Role of Gap Junction Protein Connexin43 in Astrogliosis Induced by Brain Injury

PLoS ONE ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 7 (10) ◽  
pp. e47311 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicolas Theodoric ◽  
John F. Bechberger ◽  
Christian C. Naus ◽  
Wun-Chey Sin
Keyword(s):  
Brain Injury ◽  
Gap Junction ◽  
Junction Protein ◽  
Gap Junction Protein

Innexin genes and gap junction proteins in the locust frontal ganglion

2009 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 224-233 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarit Anava ◽  
David Rand ◽  
Yael Zilberstein ◽  
Amir Ayali
Keyword(s):  
Gap Junction ◽  
Frontal Ganglion ◽  
Gap Junction Proteins ◽  
Junction Proteins
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