SpringerProtocols: Abstract: Study of Gap Junctions in Human Embryonic Stem Cells

12. Study of Gap Junctions in Human Embryonic Stem Cells

By: Raymond C.B. Wong¹, Alice Pébay²

Abstract

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Gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) has been described in different cell types including stem cells and has been involved in different biological events. GJIC is required for mouse embryonic stem cell maintenance and proliferation, and various studies suggest that functional GJIC is a common characteristic of human embryonic stem cells (hESC) maintained in different culture conditions. This chapter introduces methods to study gap junctions in hESC, from expression of gap junction proteins to functional study of GJIC in hESC proliferation, apoptosis, colony growth, and pluripotency.

Affiliation(s): (1) Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
(2) Centre for Neuroscience and Department of Pharmacology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia

Book Title: Human Embryonic Stem Cell Protocols

Series: Methods in Molecular Biology | Volume: 584 | Pub. Date: Oct-13-2009 | Page Range: 211-228 | DOI: 10.1007/978-1-60761-369-5_12

Subject: Cell Biology

Key Words: Connexin - gap junction - gap junctional intercellular communication - human embryonic stem cells

References

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