Connexin 43 (Cx43) is one of the gap junction proteins which are compounds of transmembrane proteins and transports the small-molecular-weight chemicals up to 2 kDa. Lacking of Cx43 influences the junctional protein, induces autophagy and apoptosis in somatic cells. However, the function of Cx43 in porcine early embryos is still unknown. Aim to find out the molecular mechanism of Cx43 on the developmental competence in early porcine embryos, Cx43 dsRNA (1 ㎍/㎕) was microinjected into the parthenogenetically activated porcine zygotes. Blastocyst rate (treatment, 8.8±1.6% vs. control, 38.6±4.3%) and total cell numbers in the blastocyst (treatment, 20.7±3.5 vs. control, 39.8±4.1) were significantly reduced following Cx43 knocking down. Results from FITC-dextran and Western blot assay show that knock down (KD) of Cx43 significantly increased membrane permeability through down regulation of genes which are component of both adherence and tight junction in the porcine blastocyst. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) was significantly increased in the Cx43 KD group compared to control. In addition, KD of Cx43 activated Caspase 3 and significantly increased ATG8 expression, induced autophagy and apoptosis. Results suggest that KD of Cx43 influences preimplantation porcine embryo development via increasing membrane permeability and ROS generation, and inducing autophagy and apoptosis.

우리나라 경제의 저성장이 지속됨에 따라 경제 활력을 위한 지원 정책으로 많은 창업이 이루어지고 있다. 그러나 디자인학과 학생들의 1인 창업의 창업률은 높지 않다. 특히 세계적으로 디자인전공 출신의 창업률이 높은데 비해 우리나라에서의 창업률은 그렇지 못하다. 그 이유로는 아이템의 부재였다. 아이템은 설문조사 결과 학생뿐 아니라 일반 창업자 역시 창업의 가장 중요한 요소로 꼽았다. 빠르게 바뀌는 소비자의 니즈와 시장 상황을 반영하기 위한 다양한 방법론들이 활용되고 있으나, 1인 창업에서 활용하기에는 효과적이지 못할 뿐 아니라 시간적, 물질적 한계를 지니고 있다. 특히 빠르고 긴밀하게 협업을 해야 하는 환경을 고려할 때 가장 어려운 부분이다. 이를 위해 문헌 연구를 통하여 UX에서 확장되어 나온 다양한 방법론들은 분석하여 UX 프로세스에서의 1인창업의 한계점을 극복할 수 있는 대안을 찾아보고자 한다.

Connexin (Cx) involves in the regulation of various physiological functions of tissue by forming a channel, a gap junction which allows direct cell-cell communication, between adjacent cells. The effect of a single subcutaneous treatment of estradiol benzoate (EB) or flutamide (Flu) at the weaning age on the expression of Cx isoforms in the adult caput epididymis was evaluated in this research. Using quantitative real-time PCR analysis, a low-dose of EB [0.015 μg/kg body weight (BW)] caused significant decreases of Cx30.3, Cx32, Cx40, Cx43, and Cx45 mRNA levels and no change of Cx26, Cx31, Cx31.1, Cx37 transcript levels. The treatment of a high-dose EB (1.5 μg/kg BW) resulted in reduced expression of Cx30.3, Cx31, Cx43, and Cx45 but increased expression of Cx37 and Cx40. Expression of all Cx isoforms examined, except Cx31, was significantly increased by the treatment of a low-dose Flu (500 μg/kg BW). However, the treatment of a high-dose Flu (5 mg/kg BW) led significant expressional suppression of Cx30.3, Cx31, Cx31.1, Cx32, Cx40, Cx43, and Cx45 but an increase of Cx37 transcript level. With the comparison of previous findings, the expression of Cx isoforms in the adult epididymis after the exposure to EB or Flu is likely differentially regulated in regional-specific and/or exposed postnatal age-specific manner.