Connexins proteins associate with a variety of catalytic and non-catalytic molecules. Also, different domains of connexin can bind to each other, providing a mechanism for channel regulation. Here, we review some of these associations, placing particular emphasis on the intramolecular interactions that regulate Connexin43 (Cx43). We also describe some novel methods that allow for the characteri...

Chimeric proteins comprising connexins 26, 32, and 43 and aequorin, a chemiluminescent calcium indicator, were made by fusing the amino terminus of aequorin to the carboxyl terminus of connexins. The retention of function by the chimeric partners was investigated. Connexin 32-aequorin and connexin 43-aequorin retained chemiluminescent activity whereas that of connexin 26-aequorin was negligible...

BACKGROUND bFGF is an important growth factor for glioma cell proliferation and invasion, while connexin 43 is implicated in the suppression of glioma growth. Correspondingly, gliomas have been shown to have reduced, or compromised, connexin 43 expression. METHODS In this study, a bFGF-targeted siRNA was delivered to the glioma cell line, U251, using adenovirus (Ad-bFGF-siRNA) and the express...

introduction: recent studies have shown that astrocytes play major roles in normal and disease condition of the central nervous system including multiple sclerosis (ms). molecular target therapy studies in ms have revealed that connexin-43 (cx43) and aquaporin-4 (aqp4) contents of astrocytes undergo expression alteration. fluoxetine had some effects in ms patients unrelated to its known antidep...

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) ...

The properties of astroglial gap junction channels and the protein that constitutes the channels were characterized by immunocytochemical, molecular biological, and physiological techniques. Comparative immunocytochemical labeling utilizing different antibodies specific for liver connexin 32 and connexin 26 and antibodies to peptides corresponding to carboxy-terminal sequences of the heart gap ...