Am J Physiol Cell Physiol AJP: Cell Physiology
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Am J Physiol Cell Physiol (October 24, 2001). doi:10.1152/ajpcell.00004.2001
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Articles in PresS, published online ahead of print October 23, 2001
Am J Physiol Cell Physiol, 10.1152/ajpcell.00004.2001
Submitted on January 9, 2001
Accepted on October 20, 2001

THE ROLE OF GAP JUNCTIONS IN FLUID SECRETION OF LACRIMAL GLANDS

Benjamin Walcott1*, Leon C Moore2, Aijia Birzgalis2, Nidia Claros2, Virginijus Valiunas2, Thomas Ott3, Klaus Willecke3, and Peter R Brink2

1 Neurobiology and Behavior, State University of New York, Stony Brook, New York, USA; Physiology and Biophysics, State University of New York, Stony Brook, New York, USA
2 Physiology and Biophysics, State University of New York, Stony Brook, New York, USA
3 Institute of Genetics, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: benjamin.walcott{at}sunysb.edu.

In glands such as the liver and pancreas, uncoupling gap junctions compromises the secretory function of these glands. Lacrimal glands also contain gap junctions (connexin 26 and 32). We wanted to determine the role of these junctions in fluid secretion. Using connexin 32 deficient mice, immunocytochemistry showed that in the male lacrimal gland, the remaining connexin 26 was found evenly distributed in the membrane while there was little in the membranes of female glands. Western blot analysis of connexin 26 showed that female connexin 32 deficient mice expressed connexin 26. Patch-clamp analyses of acinar cell coupling showed that the cell pairs from male glands were coupled while those from female glands were not. Stimulated fluid production by the glands from Cx32 deficient mice in was abnormally low in female glands compared to controls at low topical doses of carbachol. The protein secretory response to different doses of carbachol was the same in all animals. These data suggest that gap junctions are essential for optimal fluid secretion in lacrimal glands.




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