Abstract

The intercalated disc of mammalian myocardium contains nexuses or gap junctions (A type). Do these junctions show voltage dependent behavior? This study proposes to use an experimental model system, the septate axon of the earthworm, to voltage clamp junctional membranes under varied conditions. This study proposes to distinguish voltage - dependent junctional membrane conductance changes from pH dependent changes. The homogeneity of junctional membrane function will also be tested by measuring junctional conductance first in the absence of large probes and then with them present. Will the probes decrease junctional conductance? If so, to what extent? The methods given in this proposal will answer these questions. The double voltage clamp is a useful tool in maintaining steady transjunctional potentials while uncoupling cells and will allow uncoupling to be studied without any changes in transjunctional voltage.

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01HL031299-03
Application #
3342386
Study Section
Molecular Cytology Study Section (CTY)
Project Start
1985-03-01
Project End
1988-08-31
Budget Start
1987-03-01
Budget End
1988-08-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
1987
Total Cost
Indirect Cost

  Institution

Name
State University New York Stony Brook
Department
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
804878247
City
Stony Brook
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
11794

  Publications

Christ, G J; Brink, P R (1999) Analysis of the presence and physiological relevance of subconducting states of Connexin43-derived gap junction channels in cultured human corporal vascular smooth muscle cells. Circ Res 84:797-803
Fan, S F; Christ, G J; Melman, A et al. (1999) A stretch-sensitive Cl- channel in human corpus cavernosal myocytes. Int J Impot Res 11:1-7
Christ, G J; Spektor, M; Brink, P R et al. (1999) Further evidence for the selective disruption of intercellular communication by heptanol. Am J Physiol 276:H1911-7
Brink, P R (1998) Gap junctions in vascular smooth muscle. Acta Physiol Scand 164:349-56
Rehman, J; Chenven, E; Brink, P et al. (1997) Diminished neurogenic but not pharmacological erections in the 2- to 3-month experimentally diabetic F-344 rat. Am J Physiol 272:H1960-71
Brink, P R; Cronin, K; Banach, K et al. (1997) Evidence for heteromeric gap junction channels formed from rat connexin43 and human connexin37. Am J Physiol 273:C1386-96
Brink, P R; Ramanan, S V; Christ, G J (1996) Human connexin 43 gap junction channel gating: evidence for mode shifts and/or heterogeneity. Am J Physiol 271:C321-31
Brink, P R (1996) Gap junction channel gating and permselectivity: their roles in co-ordinated tissue function. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol 23:1041-6
Brink, P R; Cronin, K; Ramanan, S V (1996) Gap junctions in excitable cells. J Bioenerg Biomembr 28:351-8
Donahue, H J; McLeod, K J; Rubin, C T et al. (1995) Cell-to-cell communication in osteoblastic networks: cell line-dependent hormonal regulation of gap junction function. J Bone Miner Res 10:881-9

Showing the most recent 10 out of 33 publications