The oocyte and its surrounding granulosa cells co-exist in a closed compartment called a follicle, although they receive many signals from other parts of the body. It is well established that the intercellular communications between the oocyte and granulosa cells are required for normal oocyte development and ovulation during folliculogenesis. Gap junctions are intercellular channels allowing the direct transmission of ions and small molecules between coupled cells. Several lines of studies have shown that multiple connexins (Cx, subunits of gap junction) are expressed in mammalian ovarian follicles. Among them, two major connexins Cx37 and Cx43 are expressed in different manner. While the gap junction channels formed by Cx37 are localized between the oocyte and encompassing granulosa cells, the intercellular channels by Cx43 are located between granulosa cells. In this review, I will summarize the general properties of gap junction channels and discuss their possible formation (or compatibility) of intercellular channels formed by the oocyte and granulosa cells.

To investigate the modifying effect of Kwao Kreu, Pueraria mirifica (PM), we performed two kind of studies which are the non-surgical medium-term carcinogenicity study and the modulation of gap functional intercellular communication study. The first study, a non-surgical medium-term carcinogenicity bioassay was done to investigate the modifying effect of Kwao Kent, Pueraria mirifica (PM), a rejuvenating folk medicine from Thailand, on the male F344 rat liver. Specific pathogen free, male 6-week-old F344 rats were divided into ten groups. To induce hepatocarcinogenesis, those in all groups were given a single i.p. injection of DEN (200 mg/kg) and were received two i.p. injection of DGA (300 mg/kg) at the ends of weeks 2 and 5. Rats of group 3-6 were given sodium phenobarbital (PB 0.05 % in drink). A diet containing 10 mg/kg PM was given to group 2 during the post-initiation phase and to groups 4 and 5 during promotion and initiation phase, respectively. Group 6 was given the experimental diet alone throughout the experiment (8 weeks). Rats of group 7, 8, 9 and 10 were fed 1000 mg/kg PM in the same manner as group 2, 4, 5 and 6. All animals were sacrificed at 8 weeks after DEN administration. Result of the iimmunohistochemical staining of the glutathione S-transferase placental form (GST-p) indicated that the numbers and areas of the preneoplastic leisions were not significantly changed in all PM treatment group comparing to control group. A.Iso the numbers and areas of GST-p positive foci among group 7, 8, 9 and 10 were not significantly changed in comparing to control group. To study the effect of PM on the modulation of gap functional intercellular communication, the present study was performed scrape-loading dye transfer (SL/DT) assay in human keratinocytes. The results showed that PM could not modulate GJIC. These results indicate that Pueraria mirifzca may have no carcinogenic effects on experimental hepatocarcinogenesis in rats and gap functional intercellular communication in human keratinocyte.

Direct communication between neighboring cells through connexin (Cx)-based gap junction is a crucial biolo– gical manner to regulate functions of a tissue consisting of multi-cell types. The present research evaluated expressional changes of Cx isoforms in the caput epididymis of adult rat exposed to estradiol benzoate (EB) or flutamide (Flu) at the early postnatal age. A single subcutaneous administration of EB at a low-dose [0.015 g /kg body weight (BW)] or a high-dose (1.5 g/kg BW) or Flu at a low-dose (500 g/kg BW) or a high-dose (5 mg/kg BW) was performed to an animal at 1 week of age. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis was employed to determine expressional changes of Cx isoforms. The transcript levels of Cxs30.3 and 37 were decreased by a low-dose EB treatment, while decreases of Cxs31, 31.1, 32, 40, and 45 transcript levels were observed with a low-dose EB treatment. The treatment of a high-dose EB resulted in expressional reduction of Cxs30.3, 31, 31.1, 37, 40, 43, and 45. The Flu treatment at a low dose caused increases of Cxs26, 37, and 40 transcript levels but decreases of Cxs31.1, 43, and 45 transcript levels. Increases of Cxs30.3, 31, 37, and 40 mRNA amounts were induced by a high-dose Flu treatment. However, exposure to a high-dose Flu produced expressional decreases of Cxs31.1, 32, and 43 in the adult caput epididymis. These observations suggest that exposure to EB or Flu at the neonatal period could lead to aberrant expression of Cx isoforms in the adult caput epididymis.