AI Article Synopsis
- Connexins (Cxs) are proteins that form gap junctions, which connect vertebrate cells, and are expressed early during embryonic development.
- The role of Cxs, particularly Cx43 and Cx45, in embryogenesis appears to be minimal until later stages, leading to questions about their importance in pluripotent stem cell (PSC) physiology.
- Research suggests that Cxs contribute more to regulating transcription and cell adherence in PSCs rather than just forming gap junctions, and they are crucial for the self-renewal and differentiation of both PSCs and adult mesenchymal stem cells.
Article Abstract
Connexins (Cxs) form gap junction (GJ) channels linking vertebrate cells. During embryogenesis, Cxs are expressed as early as the 4-8 cell stage. As cells differentiate into pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) and during gastrulation, the Cx expression pattern is adapted. Knockdown of Cx43 and Cx45 does not interfere with embryogenic development until the blastula stage, questioning the role of Cxs in PSC physiology and development. Studies in cultivated and induced PSCs (iPSCs) showed that Cx43 is essential for the maintenance of self-renewal and the expression of pluripotency markers. It was found that the role of Cxs in PSCs is more related to regulation of transcription or cell-cell adherence than to formation of GJ channels. Furthermore, a crucial role of Cxs for the self-renewal and differentiation was shown in cultivated adult mesenchymal stem cells. This review aims to highlight aspects that link Cxs to the function and physiology of stem cell development.
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| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8794508 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/21688370.2021.1949242 | DOI Listing |
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