| First Author | Fang JS | Year | 2013 |
| Journal | Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol | Volume | 33 |
| Issue | 2 | Pages | 362-8 |
| PubMed ID | 23220276 | Mgi Jnum | J:216907 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:5609924 | Doi | 10.1161/ATVBAHA.112.255950 |
| Citation | Fang JS, et al. (2013) Connexin45 regulates endothelial-induced mesenchymal cell differentiation toward a mural cell phenotype. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 33(2):362-8 |
| abstractText | OBJECTIVE: The focus of this study was to investigate the role of connexin (Cx) 45 in endothelial-induced mural cell differentiation. METHODS AND RESULTS: We created mural cell precursors that stably express only Cx45 in Cx43-deficient mesenchymal cells (ReCx45), and used our in vitro model of blood vessel assembly to assess the capacity of this Cx to support endothelial-induced mural cell differentiation. Lucifer Yellow dye injection and dual whole-cell patch clamping revealed that functional gap junctions exhibiting properties of Cx45-containing channels formed among ReCx45 transfectants, and between ReCx45 and endothelial cells. Heterocellular Cx45-containing gap junction channels enabled transforming growth factor-beta activation and promoted the upregulation of mural cell-specific proteins in the mesenchymal precursors. CONCLUSIONS: These studies reveal a critical role for Cx45 in the regulation of endothelial-induced mural cell differentiation, which is consistent with the phenotype of Cx45-deficient embryos that exhibit dysregulated transforming growth factor-beta and lack mural cell development. |
