TY - JOUR
T1 - Expression of connexin 37, 40 and 43 in rat mesenteric arterioles and resistance arteries.
AU - Gustafsson, Finn
AU - Mikkelsen, Hanne B
AU - Arensbak, Birgitte
AU - Thuneberg, Lars
AU - Neve, Søren
AU - Jensen, Lars J
AU - Holstein-Rathlou, N.-H.
N1 - Keywords: Animals; Arterioles; Connexins; Endothelium, Vascular; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; Gap Junctions; Male; Mesenteric Arteries; Mesentery; Microcirculation; Microscopy, Fluorescence; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley
PY - 2003
Y1 - 2003
N2 - Connexins are the protein constituents of gap junctions which mediate intercellular communication in most tissues. In arterioles gap junctions appear to be important for conduction of vasomotor responses along the vessel. Studies of the expression pattern of connexin isoforms in the microcirculation are sparse. We investigated the expression of the three major vascular connexins in mesenteric arterioles (diameter <50 micro m) from male Sprague-Dawley rats, since conducted vasomotor responses have been described in these vessels. The findings were compared with those obtained from upstream small resistance arteries. Indirect immunofluorescence techniques were used on whole mounts of mesenteric arterioles and on frozen sections of resistance arteries (diameter approximately 300 micro m). Mesenteric arterioles expressed Cx40 and Cx43 in the endothelial layer, and Cx37 was found in most but not all vessels. Connexins were not demonstrated in the media. In resistance arteries endothelial cells expressed Cx37, Cx40 and Cx43. Ultrastructural studies of mesenteric arterioles confirmed that gap junction plaques between endothelial cells are present, whereas myoendothelial, or smooth muscle cell gap junctions could not be demonstrated. The findings suggest that smooth muscle cells in mesenteric arterioles may not be well coupled and favour that conducted vasomotor responses in these vessels are propagated through the endothelial cell layer.
AB - Connexins are the protein constituents of gap junctions which mediate intercellular communication in most tissues. In arterioles gap junctions appear to be important for conduction of vasomotor responses along the vessel. Studies of the expression pattern of connexin isoforms in the microcirculation are sparse. We investigated the expression of the three major vascular connexins in mesenteric arterioles (diameter <50 micro m) from male Sprague-Dawley rats, since conducted vasomotor responses have been described in these vessels. The findings were compared with those obtained from upstream small resistance arteries. Indirect immunofluorescence techniques were used on whole mounts of mesenteric arterioles and on frozen sections of resistance arteries (diameter approximately 300 micro m). Mesenteric arterioles expressed Cx40 and Cx43 in the endothelial layer, and Cx37 was found in most but not all vessels. Connexins were not demonstrated in the media. In resistance arteries endothelial cells expressed Cx37, Cx40 and Cx43. Ultrastructural studies of mesenteric arterioles confirmed that gap junction plaques between endothelial cells are present, whereas myoendothelial, or smooth muscle cell gap junctions could not be demonstrated. The findings suggest that smooth muscle cells in mesenteric arterioles may not be well coupled and favour that conducted vasomotor responses in these vessels are propagated through the endothelial cell layer.
U2 - 10.1007/s00418-002-0493-0
DO - 10.1007/s00418-002-0493-0
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 12610733
SN - 0948-6143
VL - 119
SP - 139
EP - 148
JO - Histochemistry and Cell Biology
JF - Histochemistry and Cell Biology
IS - 2
ER -