Connexins and the Epithelial Tissue Barrier: A Focus on Connexin 26
Epithelial tissue responds rapidly to environmental triggers and is constantly renewed. This tissue is also highly accessible for therapeutic targeting. This review highlights the role of connexin mediated communication in avascular epithelial tissue. These proteins form communication conduits with...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-01-01
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| Series: | Biology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/10/1/59 |
| _version_ | 1827600872369029120 |
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| author | Laura Garcia-Vega Erin M. O’Shaughnessy Ahmad Albuloushi Patricia E. Martin |
| author_facet | Laura Garcia-Vega Erin M. O’Shaughnessy Ahmad Albuloushi Patricia E. Martin |
| author_sort | Laura Garcia-Vega |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Epithelial tissue responds rapidly to environmental triggers and is constantly renewed. This tissue is also highly accessible for therapeutic targeting. This review highlights the role of connexin mediated communication in avascular epithelial tissue. These proteins form communication conduits with the extracellular space (hemichannels) and between neighboring cells (gap junctions). Regulated exchange of small metabolites less than 1kDa aide the co-ordination of cellular activities and in spatial communication compartments segregating tissue networks. Dysregulation of connexin expression and function has profound impact on physiological processes in epithelial tissue including wound healing. Connexin 26, one of the smallest connexins, is expressed in diverse epithelial tissue and mutations in this protein are associated with hearing loss, skin and eye conditions of differing severity. The functional consequences of dysregulated connexin activity is discussed and the development of connexin targeted therapeutic strategies highlighted. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:44:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b69fd05a578a4ea38c0a72d37aa1058b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-7737 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:44:15Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biology |
| spelling | doaj.art-b69fd05a578a4ea38c0a72d37aa1058b2023-12-03T13:17:34ZengMDPI AGBiology2079-77372021-01-011015910.3390/biology10010059Connexins and the Epithelial Tissue Barrier: A Focus on Connexin 26Laura Garcia-Vega0Erin M. O’Shaughnessy1Ahmad Albuloushi2Patricia E. Martin3Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, School of Health and Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow G4 0BA, UKDepartment of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, School of Health and Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow G4 0BA, UKDepartment of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, School of Health and Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow G4 0BA, UKDepartment of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, School of Health and Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow G4 0BA, UKEpithelial tissue responds rapidly to environmental triggers and is constantly renewed. This tissue is also highly accessible for therapeutic targeting. This review highlights the role of connexin mediated communication in avascular epithelial tissue. These proteins form communication conduits with the extracellular space (hemichannels) and between neighboring cells (gap junctions). Regulated exchange of small metabolites less than 1kDa aide the co-ordination of cellular activities and in spatial communication compartments segregating tissue networks. Dysregulation of connexin expression and function has profound impact on physiological processes in epithelial tissue including wound healing. Connexin 26, one of the smallest connexins, is expressed in diverse epithelial tissue and mutations in this protein are associated with hearing loss, skin and eye conditions of differing severity. The functional consequences of dysregulated connexin activity is discussed and the development of connexin targeted therapeutic strategies highlighted.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/10/1/59epithelial tissueconnexingap junctionpurinergic signaling |
| spellingShingle | Laura Garcia-Vega Erin M. O’Shaughnessy Ahmad Albuloushi Patricia E. Martin Connexins and the Epithelial Tissue Barrier: A Focus on Connexin 26 Biology epithelial tissue connexin gap junction purinergic signaling |
| title | Connexins and the Epithelial Tissue Barrier: A Focus on Connexin 26 |
| title_full | Connexins and the Epithelial Tissue Barrier: A Focus on Connexin 26 |
| title_fullStr | Connexins and the Epithelial Tissue Barrier: A Focus on Connexin 26 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Connexins and the Epithelial Tissue Barrier: A Focus on Connexin 26 |
| title_short | Connexins and the Epithelial Tissue Barrier: A Focus on Connexin 26 |
| title_sort | connexins and the epithelial tissue barrier a focus on connexin 26 |
| topic | epithelial tissue connexin gap junction purinergic signaling |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/10/1/59 |
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