Related Experiment Videos
Human mesenchymal stem cells make cardiac connexins and form functional gap junctions
Virginijus Valiunas1, Sergey Doronin, Laima Valiuniene
1Department of Physiology and Biophysics, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY 11794-8661, USA.
The Journal of Physiology
|February 10, 2004
Summary
Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) communicate with other cells via gap junctions, crucial for their potential as cellular repair systems. This intercellular communication, involving connexins (Cx), supports their therapeutic applications in tissues like the myocardium.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Biophysics
- Regenerative Medicine
Background:
- Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) are multipotent cells with therapeutic potential.
- Effective cell-based therapies require intercellular communication, particularly via gap junctions.
- Understanding hMSC gap junction communication is vital for their application in tissue repair.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the presence and function of gap junctions in hMSCs.
- To determine the types of connexins (Cx) expressed by hMSCs.
- To assess hMSC communication with other cell types, including cardiac myocytes.
Main Methods:
- Immunostaining for connexins (Cx40, Cx43, Cx45) in hMSCs.
- Electrophysiological recordings of junctional currents (I(j)) between hMSC pairs, hMSC-HeLa cell pairs, and hMSC-cardiac myocyte pairs.
- Analysis of junctional voltage (V(j)) dependence and single channel conductances (gamma(j)).
Main Results:
- hMSCs express Cx40 and Cx43 at cell-cell contacts, with Cx45 showing cytoplasmic staining.
- hMSCs form functional gap junction couplings with themselves, HeLa cells expressing Cx40, Cx43, Cx45, and canine ventricular myocytes.
- Junctional currents exhibited both symmetrical and asymmetrical voltage dependence, indicating homotypic and potentially heterotypic/heteromeric channel activity, with single channel conductances ranging from 30-100 pS.
Conclusions:
- hMSCs possess functional gap junctions, expressing key connexins.
- Intercellular coupling of hMSCs with cardiac myocytes is demonstrated.
- hMSC gap junction communication supports their consideration as a cellular repair or delivery system for myocardial applications.