El-Saghir Jamal A, El-Habre Elia T, El-Sabban Marwan E, Talhouk Rabih S
Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
Int J Dev Biol. 2011;55(7-9):773-80. doi: 10.1387/ijdb.113372je.
The mammary gland presents a valuable model for developmental studies, spanning the embryonic stage through menarche to menopause. The dynamic remodeling of this gland is orchestrated by cellular heterogeneity, integrating mammogenic, systemic and local cues. Gap junctional intercellular communication provides pivotal cross talk of mammary epithelial cells with the surrounding cells and their local microenvironment. Connexins are involved in regulating normal and pathological mammary gland development, through channel-dependent and channel-independent roles. Modulation of the isoforms of connexins expressed, as well as their differential assembly into connexons and recruitment of a variety of associated partners, contributes to the complexity of signaling relayed at the membrane. This confers context-dependent functions of connexins at different stages of development and carcinogenesis. This review will summarize available knowledge about the functional dynamics of connexins and gap junctions in regulating normal mammary gland development and its pathophysiology.
乳腺是发育研究的一个有价值的模型，涵盖从胚胎期到初潮再到绝经的整个过程。该腺体的动态重塑由细胞异质性协调，整合了乳腺生成、全身和局部信号。间隙连接介导的细胞间通讯为乳腺上皮细胞与其周围细胞及其局部微环境提供了关键的相互作用。连接蛋白通过依赖通道和不依赖通道的作用参与调节正常和病理性乳腺发育。连接蛋白表达异构体的调节，以及它们组装成连接子的差异和各种相关伴侣的募集，导致了膜上信号传递的复杂性。这赋予了连接蛋白在发育和致癌作用的不同阶段依赖于背景的功能。本综述将总结关于连接蛋白和间隙连接在调节正常乳腺发育及其病理生理学中的功能动态的现有知识。
