Studies on Connexin 43, a Gap-Junction Protein, in P19 Embryonal Carcinoma Cells after Culture on an Apatite Fiber Scaffold

摘要

We previously showed enhanced osteoblast differentiation by culturing cells in apatite-fiber scaffold (AFS). The well-developed α-surface of the apatite fibers provides favorable structural features and chemical interactions with the cells, and the scaffold appears to affect cell differentiation. AFS was used here to study its utility for soft-tissue engineering. An embryonal carcinoma cell line, P19.CL6, was cultured in AFS, and the expression and phosphorylation of a gap-junction protein, connexin 43 (Cx43), during cell proliferation and differentiation was examined. We show that treatment with dimethyl sulfoxide appears to induce a change in the isoform composition of Cx43 under the control condition, but not in AFS. We also show that serum starvation induces the phosphorylation of Ser 368 of Cx43 only in functionally mature cells.