Dept. Cell Physiology and Biophysics, Institute of Cell Biology and Biophysics, Leibniz University Hannover, Hannover, Germany.
Center for Systems Neuroscience (ZSN), University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany.
Tissue Barriers. 2021 Oct 2;9(4):1949242. doi: 10.1080/21688370.2021.1949242. Epub 2021 Jul 6.
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.
连接蛋白 (Cxs) 形成间隙连接 (GJ) 通道，将脊椎动物细胞连接起来。在胚胎发生过程中，Cxs 的表达早在 4-8 细胞阶段就已经出现。随着细胞分化为多能干细胞 (PSCs) 和原肠胚形成，Cx 的表达模式被适应。直到囊胚阶段，敲低 Cx43 和 Cx45 并不干扰胚胎发生发育，这质疑了 Cxs 在 PSC 生理学和发育中的作用。在培养和诱导多能干细胞 (iPSCs) 中的研究表明，Cx43 对于维持自我更新和多能性标记物的表达是必不可少的。研究发现，Cxs 在 PSCs 中的作用与其说是形成 GJ 通道，不如说是与转录调控或细胞间黏附有关。此外，在培养的成年间充质干细胞中，Cxs 对自我更新和分化起着至关重要的作用。这篇综述旨在强调将 Cxs 与干细胞发育的功能和生理学联系起来的方面。
