Sensitivity of the brain transcriptome to connexin ablation

摘要: Extensive studies on mice with total or partial disruption of either connexin43 (Cx43) connexin32 (Cx32) have detected only subtle changes in central nervous system structure, growth, development, function. We used high density cDNA arrays to analyze the regulation, control, and coordination abundances 7446 distinct transcripts four brains, each Cx43 null (K43), heterozygous (H43), Cx32 (K32) as compared brains wildtype (W) mice. The use multiple samples allowed determination statistical significance gene regulation. Significantly regulated genes encoded proteins all functional categories, extending beyond those that might be expected depend junctional communication. Moreover, we found a degree similarity between K43 H43 remarkable overlap regulation K32. both showed an outstanding inverse levels expression W brain, indicating are largely predictable from their co-variance samples. These findings lead hypothesis connexin may represent node patterns brain.