Linked Life Data

16731531

Source:http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/id/16731531

Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
30
pubmed:dateCreated
2006-7-24
pubmed:abstractText
Gap junctions have traditionally been described as transmembrane channels that facilitate intercellular communication via the passage of small molecules. Connexins, the basic building blocks of gap junctions, are expressed in most mammalian tissues including the developing and adult central nervous system. During brain development, connexins are temporally and spatially regulated suggesting they play an important role in the proper formation of the central nervous system. In the current study, connexins 32 and 43 were overexpressed in PC12 cells to determine whether connexins are involved in neuronal differentiation. Both connexin 32 and 43 were appropriately trafficked to the cell membrane following overexpression and resulted in the formation of functional gap junctions. Connexin overexpression was found to cause enhanced neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells treated with nerve growth factor to initiate neuritogenesis. Surprisingly, however, enhanced neurite outgrowth was found to be the consequence of functional hemichannel formation as opposed to traditional intercellular communication. Additional analysis revealed that ATP was released into the media likely through hemichannels and acted on purinergic receptors to cause enhanced neurite outgrowth. Collectively, the results of the current study suggest that connexins may play an important role in neuronal differentiation by non-traditional mechanisms.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Jul
pubmed:issn
0021-9258
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:day
28
pubmed:volume
281
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
20920-31
pubmed:dateRevised
2006-11-15
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2006
pubmed:articleTitle
Enhanced neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells mediated by connexin hemichannels and ATP.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Psychiatry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't