Connexins and secretion

Connexin channels clustered at gap junctions are obligatory attributes of all macroscopic endocrine and exocrine glands investigated so far and also connect most types of cells which produce secretory products in other tissues. Increasing evidence indicates that connexins, and the cell-to-cell commu...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Biology of the Cell 2002-11, Vol.94 (7), p.477-492
Main Authors: Serre-Beinier, Véronique, Mas, Christophe, Calabrese, Alessandra, Caton, David, Bauquis, Juliette, Caille, Dorothée, Charollais, Anne, Cirulli, Vincenzo, Meda, Paolo
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Cell Communication - physiology
Connexins - physiology
Connexins - secretion
Endocrine glands
Endocrine Glands - chemistry
Endocrine Glands - cytology
Endocrine Glands - secretion
Exocrine glands
Exocrine Glands - chemistry
Exocrine Glands - cytology
Exocrine Glands - secretion
Gap junctions
Gap Junctions - physiology
Gap Junctions - secretion
Humans
Pancreas
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Summary:Connexin channels clustered at gap junctions are obligatory attributes of all macroscopic endocrine and exocrine glands investigated so far and also connect most types of cells which produce secretory products in other tissues. Increasing evidence indicates that connexins, and the cell-to-cell communications that these proteins permit, contribute to control the growth of secretory cells, their expression of specific genes and their differentiated function, including their characteristic ability to biosynthetize and release secretory products in a regulated manner. Since the previous reviews which have been published on this topic, several lines of evidence have been added in support of multiple regulatory roles of gland connexins. Here, we review this novel evidence, point to the many questions which are still open and discuss some interesting perspectives of the field.
ISSN:0248-4900
1768-322X
DOI:10.1016/S0248-4900(02)00024-2