• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제21권4호
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• pp.379-389
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• 2017

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 [$0.015{\mu}g/kg$ 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 ($1.5{\mu}g/kg\;BW$) 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 ($500{\mu}g/kg\;BW$). 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.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제22권1호
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• pp.29-38
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• 2018

In the multicellular tissue, cell-cell interaction is important for a precise control of its function. The exchange of signaling molecules between adjacent cells via connexon allows the functional harmony of cells in the tissue. The present research was to determine the presence and expressional patterns of connexin (Cx) isoforms in the rat epididymal fat during postnatal development using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis. Of 13 Cx isoforms examined, expression of 11 Cx isoforms in the epididymal fat during postnatal development was detected. These Cx isoforms include Cx26, Cx31, Cx31.1, Cx32, Cx33, Cx36, Cx37, Cx40, Cx43, Cx45, and Cx50. Expressional levels of all Cx isoforms at 1 and 2 years of age were significantly higher than those at the early postnatal ages, such as 7 days, 14 days, and 24 days of ages. Except Cx33 and Cx43, the transcript levels of rest Cx isoforms at 1 year of age were significantly lower than that at 2 years of age. In addition, expressional patterns of Cx isoforms between 7 days and 5 months of ages generally varied according to the isoform. The existence of various Cx isoforms in the rat epididymal fat has been identified and expression of each Cx isoform in the epididymal fat during postnatal development has shown a particular pattern, distinguishable from the others. To our knowledges, this is the first report showing expressional patterns of Cx isoforms at transcript level in the epididymal fat at various postnatal ages.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제20권3호
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• pp.237-245
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• 2016

Direct communication between neighboring cells via gap junction in tissue is important for maintenance and regulation of its physiological functions. Each epididymal region has different composition of cell types. It is well recognized that the epididymis is a steroid hormone-responsive tissue. The present study was designed to determine the effect of estradiol benzoate (EB) or flutamide exposured at the early postnatal age on the expression of connexin (Cx) isoforms in the caudal epididymis. The EB or flutamide was subcutaneously administrated to male Spragure Dawley rat at 7 days of age, and expressional changes of Cx isoforms in the adult corpus epididymis were determined by quantitative real-time PCR. The treatment of low-dose EB resulted in decreases of Cx30.3, Cx31.1, Cx37, and Cx45 expression but caused an increase of Cx32 expression. Exposure to high-dose EB led into expressional increases of Cx31, Cx31.1, Cx32, Cx40, and Cx43, even though a decrease of Cx37 expression was found with a high-dose EB treatment. A low-dose flutamide induced increases of Cx31, Cx31.1, Cx32, and Cx43 expression but a decrease of Cx37 expression. Expression of most Cx genes were significantly increased by a high-dose flutamide, while no expressional change of Cx26 and Cx40 was detected by a high-dose flutamide. These results indicate that expression of Cx isoforms in the caudal epididymis is altered by exposure to steroidal compounds at the prepubertal age. It is suggested that a contact with environmental exogenous materials during the early postnatal period would lead to alteration of epididymal functions at the adult.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제17권11호
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• pp.1517-1522
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• 2007

간극결합(intercellular channel)은 인접하는 두 세포사이에 형성된 이온채널이며 이를 통해서 각종 이온, 이차 신호전달물질, 그리고 1 kDa 미만의 대사물질들이 통과한다. 아울러, sodium 혹은 potassium 이온채널처럼 반쪽의 간극결합(connexon 혹은 hemichannel)도 세포막채널로서 작용을 한다. 현재까지 간극결합을 구성하는 connexin (Cx) 단위체는 26종류 이상이 확인되었다. 이 가운데, Cx32, Cx38, Cx46 그리고 Cx50 만이 간극결합채널뿐만 아니라 세포막채널로서도 기능을 수행한다. Xenopus oocytes에서 connexin 38 (Cx38)이 발현하는 것으로 알려져 있지만 Cx38의 생물리학적 특성이 단일채널수준에서 연구가 진행된 경우는 없다. 이번 연구에서는 Cx38 채널의 생물리학적 특성, 즉 전압-의존적 개폐와 투과성(전기전도도와 이온선택성)을 알아보고자 단일채널기록을 수행하였다. Cx38 hemichannel은 전압-의존적인 빠른 개폐와 느린 개폐의 특성을 보였다. 양성전압 환경에서는 Cx38 채널이 낮은 열릴 확률(open probability)로 빠른 개폐가 유도된 반면, 음성전압에서는 느린 개폐가 높은 열릴 확률로 유도되었다. bi-ionic 실험을 통하여, Cx38 채널은 양이온보다 음이온을 더 선택 적으로 통과시킨다는 점을 알게 되었다. Cx38의 아미노산서열을 살펴보면, 아미노말단부위에 전하를 띠는 5개의 아미노산 잔기가 존재한다. 앞으로 이들 잔기를 치환시킨 돌연변이 Cx38 채널을 이용하여 과연 이들 아미노산 부위가 전압-의존적 개폐와 투과성에 관여하는 지 여부를 조사하는 연구는 매우 흥미로운 결과를 도출할 것으로 기대한다.

• 한국어병학회지
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• 제16권2호
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• pp.125-129
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• 2003

Conncxin (Cx) is an important and essential protein induction of oocyte maturation, which is present in almost all mammalian tissucs except cirulating blood cells and adult skeletal museles. In this study, goldfish Cx43 cDNA sequence is available in GenBank under the accession number AB078505. Homology analyses using the GenBank and EMBL general database searches indicated that goldfish Cx43 cDNA has a high homology with carp Cx43 (95.1% identity), zebrafish Cx43 (90.5% identity), and chicken Cx43 (81.9% identity). Goldfish Cx43 is similar to the Cx family in its general features, and all the typical Cx consensus sequences are also found. Moreover, significantly increased Cx43 transcrpts were observed in mature goldfish (GSI; 18.3-21.7) pituitary and ovary when compared with immature goldfish (GSI; 4.9-6.0). Cx43 transeripts were weakly detectrd in both liver and kidney of immature and mature goldfish. There is possible that Cx43 nctivity was relation to oocyte maturation in the goldfish.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제19권2호
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• pp.69-77
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• 2015

Cell-cell direct communication through channel-forming molecules, connexin (Cx), is essential for a tissue to exchange signaling molecules between neighboring cells and establish unique functional characteristics during postnatal development. The corpus epididymis is a well-known androgen-responsive tissue and involves in proper sperm maturation. In the present research, it was attempted to determine if expression of Cx isoforms in the corpus epididymis in the adult is modulated by exposure to estrogenic or anti-androgenic compound during the early postnatal period. The neonatal male rats at 7 days of age were subcutaneously injected by estradiol benzoate (EB) at low-dose ($0.015{\mu}g/kg$ body weight) or high-dose ($1.5{\mu}g/kg$ body weight) or flutamide (Flu) at low-dose ($500{\mu}g/kg$ body weight) or high-dose (50 mg/kg body weight). The corpus epididymis collected at 4 months of age was subjected to evaluate expressional changes of Cx isoforms by quantitative real-time PCR. Treatment of low-dose EB resulted in increases of Cx32, Cx37, and Cx45 transcript levels, while exposure to high-dose EB decreased expression of Cx26, Cx30.3, Cx31, Cx31.1, Cx32, Cx40, Cx43, and Cx45. Treatments of Flu caused significant decreases of expression of all examined Cx isoforms, except Cx37 and Cx43 shown no expressional change with high-dose Flu treatment. These findings imply that expression of most Cx isoforms present in the corpus epididymis would be transcriptionally regulated by actions of androgen and/or estrogen during postnatal period.

• 한국수산과학회지
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• 제33권6호
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• pp.565-571
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• 2000

기존의 Cx 배열을 참고로 종내${cdot}$종간을 통하여 잘 보존되어져 있는 영역에서 primer를 설계하고, 은어의 난소를 재료로 하여 PCR을 실시하였다. 증폭된 cDNA 단편을 이용하여, 5'RACE 및 3'RACE법에 의해 미지의 영역을 cloning하여 난소에서 발현하는 Cx cDNA의 전염기배열을 결정하였다. 기존의 Cx 배열과 상동성을 비교한 결과, 대서양산 민어의 Cx32.7과 $63.8{\%}$, bovine의 Cx44와 $61.6{\%}$ 및 대서양산 민어의 Cx32.2와는 $56.7{\%}$의 상동성이 나타났다. 본 cDNA는 35,028 Da의 분자량을 code하는 open reading frame (ORF)으로 구성되어 있어, 은어 Cx35로 명명되었다. 또한 아미노산 배열의 친수성${\cdot}$소수성 영역의 분포예측 결과, 4곳의 소수성 영역과 4곳의 친수성 영역을 교차하는 전형적인 Cx의 구조와 일치하였으며, Cx family의 공통${\cdot}$필수적인 배열인 제1세포외 domain의 consensus 배열 및 제2세포외 domain의 consensus 배열도 존재하였다.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제19권1호
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• pp.73-79
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• 2015

Connexins (Cx) are membrane proteins and monomers for forming gap junction (GJ) channels. Cx46 and Cx50 are also known to function as conductive hemichannels. As part of an ongoing effort to find GJ-specific blocker(s), endocrine disruptors were used to examine their effect on Cx46 hemichannels expressed in Xenopus oocytes. Voltage-dependent gating of Cx46 hemichannels was characterized by slowly activating outward currents and relatively fast inward tail currents. Bisphenol A (BPA, 10 nM) reduced outward currents of Cx46 hemichannels up to ~18% of control, and its effect was reversible (n=5). 4-tert-Octylphenol (OP, $1{\mu}M$) reversibly reduced outward hemichannel currents up to ~28% (n=4). However, overall shapes of Cx46 hemichannel current traces (outward and inward currents) were not changed by these drugs. These results suggest that BPA and OP are likely to occupy the pore of Cx46 hemichannels and thus obstruct the ionic fluxes. This finding provides that BPA and OP are potential candidates for GJ channel blockers.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제20권4호
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• pp.349-357
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• 2016

The present research was chiefly designed to determine the effect of the treatment of estrogenic agonist, estradiol benzoate (EB), or antiandrogenic compound, flutamide (Flu), at the weaning age on the expression of connexin (Cx) isoforms in the caudal epididymis of adult male rat. Animals were subcutaneously administrated with a single shot of either EB at a low-dose ($0.015{\mu}g$ of EB/kg body weight (BW)) or a high-dose ($1.5{\mu}g$ of EB/kg BW) or Flu at a low-dose ($500{\mu}g$ of EB/kg BW) or a high-dose (5 mg of EB/kg BW). Expressional changes of Cx isoforms in the adult caudal epididymis were examined by quantitative real-time PCR analysis. The treatment of a low-dose EB caused significant increases of Cx30.3, Cx31, Cx32, and Cx43 transcript levels but reduction of Cx31.1, Cx37, and Cx45 expression. Exposure to a high-dose EB resulted in very close responses observed in a low-dose EB treatment, except no significant expressional change of Cx37 and a significant induction of Cx40. Expression of all Cx isoforms, except Cx45, was significantly increased by a low-dose Flu treatment. Expressional increases of all Cx isoforms were detected by a high-dose Flu treatment. The current study demonstrates that a single exposure to estrogenic or antiandrogenic compound during the early postnatal developmental period is sufficient to disrupt normal expression of Cx isoforms in the adult caudal epididymis.

• 대한전자공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한전자공학회 2003년도 하계종합학술대회 논문집 Ⅳ
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• pp.2148-2151
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• 2003

In this paper, we present our experiences in designing and implementing a CX23880 based multichannel video/audio capture device. We try to clarify differences between CX2388x family and 878A, the previous version of Cx2388x, and what one needs to be careful about in developing device drivers for CX2388x based video/audio devices. Our work is expected to help one who will need to develop Cx2388x based video/audio device later.