Study on the function of gap junctions by using the monoclonal antibodies against gap junction proteins

在本项目中，我们一直在使用抗缝隙连接蛋白的单抗来阐明缝隙连接蛋白的功能。我们用抗肝脏GAP连接蛋白同源性多肽的单抗进行免疫组织化学染色和免疫印迹。肝脏GAP连接蛋白由两种不同的蛋白组成：21K和27K蛋白，尽管这两种蛋白的组成比例在动物中是不同的。免疫组化和免疫印迹法均未检测到GAP-Junotion蛋白的表达。肝细胞中缝隙连接蛋白的表达可能受环境条件的调节，大鼠唾液腺腺泡细胞中的缝隙连接蛋白主要由27k缝隙连接蛋白组成。21k缝隙连接蛋白也存在于腺泡卵母细胞和部分间隔管中。胆碱能激动剂抑制大鼠颌下腺腺泡细胞的缝隙-胞间通讯。27k缝隙连接蛋白的功能可能受副交感神经的调节，可能在唾液分泌中起一定的调控作用。

In this project, we have been using the monoclonal antibodies against the gap Junction proteins to clarify the function of gap junctions. We used the monoolonal antibodies against the polypeptides identloal to the gap Junction proteins in the liver for the immunohistochemical staining and immunoblotting.The gap Junction proteins in the liver consisted of two different proteins ; 21k and 27k proteins, although the composition ratio of both proteins was different in the species of the animals. The gap-junctional intercellular communication in the cell lines derived from the liver was detected by using the fluorescent dye-transfer technique, but the gap Junotion proteins were not detected by both the immunohistochemioal and immunoblotting methods. the expression of gap junotion proteins in the hepatocytes might be modulated by the enviromental conditions.The main proteins of the gap junotions in the aoinar cells of rat salivary gland consisted of 27k gap junction protein. The 21k gap junction protein was also detected in the acinar oells and in some portion of interoallated ducts. The cholinergic agonlsts suppressed the gap-Junotional intercellular communioation in the acinar cells of rat submandibular glands. The funotion of 27k gap junotion proteins might be regulated by the parasympathetic nerve and might play some role in control of salivary secretion.