Astrocyte cultures from conditional connexin43-deficient mice.

摘要: Connexin43 (Cx43) mainly provides the molecular basis for astrocytic gap junctions. Interastrocytic coupling is thought to mediate extracellular ion homeostasis, long-range signaling, and neuroprotection in brain. Cx43 has been implicated growth control also expressed other cell types brain, such as leptomeningeal vascular cells. function studied astrocyte cultures of Cx43-deficient mice, which lack all types. We have generated conditionally deficient mice with an astrocyte-directed inactivation Cx43, leaves expression unaffected. Other connexins detected astrocytes. For study astrocytes lacking Cx45 Cx26 vitro, deficiencies are embryonic lethal, essential. In present study, we describe developmental kinetics loss intercellular communication derived from conditional mice. Conditional ablation efficient, reaches a plateau at 4 weeks culture, but retains contaminating nonastrocytic Our findings indicate that knockout promising tool lethal genes cultures.