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Daniel J. Belliveau

Connexins

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Full-Text Articles in Education

Pkc Inhibition Increases Gap Junction Intercellular Communication And Cell Adhesion In Human Neuroblastoma, M. Morley, C. Jones, M. Sidhu, V. Gupta, S. Bernier, W. Rushlow, Daniel Belliveau Dec 2009

Pkc Inhibition Increases Gap Junction Intercellular Communication And Cell Adhesion In Human Neuroblastoma, M. Morley, C. Jones, M. Sidhu, V. Gupta, S. Bernier, W. Rushlow, Daniel Belliveau

Daniel J. Belliveau

Abstract Gap junction intercellular communication and cell–cell adhesion are essential for maintaining a normal cellular phenotype, including the control of growth and proliferation. Loss of either cell–cell adhesion or communication is common in cancers, while restoration of function is associated with tumor suppression. Protein kinase C (PKC) isozymes regulate a broad spectrum of cellular functions including growth and proliferation, and their overexpression has been correlated with carcinogenesis. Consequently, PKC inhibitors are currently undergoing clinical trials as an anti-cancer agents although the precise cellular alterations induced by PKC inhibitors remain to be elucidated. In the current study, the effects of PKC …


Cortical Type 2 Astrocytes Are Not Dye Coupled Nor Do They Express The Major Gap Junction Genes Found In The Central Nervous System, Daniel Belliveau, C. Naus Dec 1993

Cortical Type 2 Astrocytes Are Not Dye Coupled Nor Do They Express The Major Gap Junction Genes Found In The Central Nervous System, Daniel Belliveau, C. Naus

Daniel J. Belliveau

The O‐2A progenitor cell first described from the rat optic nerve is a bipotential precursor of oligodendrocytes and type 2 astrocytes. Each cell expresses specific markers that distinguish them as unique cell types. O‐2A progenitors cultured in high serum preferentially differntiate into type 2 astrocytes and when exposed to defined medium or low serum develop along the oligodendrocyte lineage. We analyzed the gap junction gene expression of type 2 astrocytes to determine if they are coupled to form a syncytium, like their type 1 astrocyte counterparts. Dye coupling experiments demonstrated that cortical type 2 astrocytes are not coupled, while type …