Abstract
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-β activation and promoted the upregulation of mural cell-specific proteins in the mesenchymal precursors. CONCLUSION-: 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-β and lack mural cell development.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 362-368 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology |
Volume | 33 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Feb 2013 |
Keywords
- TGF-β
- connexin
- endothelial cell
- gap junction
- mural cell development
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine