title: Gap junctions in skeletal development and function.
abstract: Gap junctions play a critical role in the coordinated function and activity of nearly all of the skeletal cells. This is not surprising, given the elaborate orchestration of skeletal patterning, bone modeling and subsequent remodeling, as well as the mechanical stresses, strains and adaptive responses that the skeleton must accommodate. Much remains to be learned regarding the role of gap junctions and hemichannels in these processes. A common theme is that without connexins none of the cells of bone function properly. Thus, connexins play an important role in skeletal form and function.
authors.affiliation: University of Maryland School of Medicine, Department of Orthopaedics, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
authors.forename: Joseph P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Stains
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Civitelli
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D019521:Body Patterning; D001846:Bone Development; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000378:metabolism; D002450:Cell Communication; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D018031:Connexin 43 / Q000378:metabolism; D017630:Connexins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D017629:Gap Junctions / Q000502:physiology*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008954:Models, Biological; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000378:metabolism; D010011:Osteocytes / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018031:Connexin 43; D017630:Connexins