• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제5권1호
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• pp.1-8
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• 2001

Hyperpolarization of arterial smooth muscle by acetylcholine is considered to be produced by the release of an unidentified chemical substance, an endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF). Several chemicals have been proposed as the candidate for EDHF. However, none of them fulfil completely the nature and property of EDHF. Ultrastructural observation with electron microscope reveals that in some arteries, gap junctions are formed between endothelial and smooth muscle cells. In small arterioles, injection of gap junction permeable dyes into an endothelial cell results in a distribution of the dye to surrounding cells including smooth muscle cells. These observations allow the speculation that myoendothelial gap junctions may have a functional significance. Simultaneous measurement of the electrical responses in both endothelial and smooth muscle cells using the double patch clamp method demonstrates that these two cell types are indeed electrically coupled, indicating that they behave as a functional syncytium. The EDHF-induced hyperpolarization is produced by an activation of $Ca^{2+}-sensitive\;K^+-channels$ that are inhibited by charybdotoxin and apamin. Agonists that release EDHF increase $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ in endothelial cells but not in smooth muscle cells. Inhibition of gap junctions with chemical agents abolishes the agonist-induced hyperpolarization in smooth muscle cells but not in endothelial cells. All these observations can be explained if EDHF is an electrotonic signal propagating from endothelium to smooth muscle cells through gap junctions.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제16권3호
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• pp.219-224
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• 2012

Understanding how the b-wave of the electroretinogram (ERG) is generated by full-field light stimulation is still a challenge in visual neuroscience. To understand more about the origin of the b-wave, we studied the contributions of gap junctions to the ERG b-wave. Many types of retinal neurons are connected to similar and different neighboring neurons through gap junctions. The photopic (cone-dominated) ERG, stimulated by a small light beam, was recorded from goldfish (Carassius auratus) using a corneal electrode. Data were obtained before and after intravitreal injection of agents into the eye under a photopic illumination level. Several agents were used to affect gap junctions, such as dopamine D1 and D2 receptor agonists and antagonists, a nitric oxide (NO) donor, a nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor, the gap junction blocker meclofenamic acid (MFA), and mixtures of these agents. The ERG b-waves, which were enhanced by MFA, sodium nitroprusside (SNP), SKF 38393, and sulpiride, remained following application of a further injection of a mixture with MFA. The ERG b-waves decreased following $N^G$-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), SCH 23390, and quinpirole administration but were enhanced by further injection of a mixture with MFA. These results indicate that gap junction activity influences b-waves of the ERG related to NO and dopamine actions.

• Applied Microscopy
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• 제16권2호
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• pp.1-13
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• 1986

The purpose of this study was to investigate the morphology and intercellular junctions of the odontoblast of dental pulp in the rat incisor by means of the freeze fracture electron microscopy. Twenty male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing $150{\sim}200g$ were used. After being anesthetized by an intraperitoneal injection of 0.5 ml sodium pentobarbital per kg in body weight(60 mg/ml) the animals were perfused with 2.5% glutaraldehyde-2% paraformaldehyde fixative in 0.1 M cacodylate buffer, pH 7.2 through the ascending aorta for one hour. The incisors were carefully extracted from the jaws and demineralized by suspending them in 0.1 M EDTA in 3% glutaraldehyde (pH 7.2) for two weeks. After demineralization, the specimens were obtained from the portion divided into five equal parts. For freeze-fracture replication, demineralized tissues were infiltrated for several hours with 10%, 25% glycerol in 0.1M cacodylate buffer as a cryoprotectant and then frozen in liquid Freon 22 and stored in liquid nitrogen. Fracturing and replication were done in Balzers BAF 400D high-vacuum freeze-fracture apparatus at $-120^{\circ}C$ under routine $5X10^{-7}$ Torr vacuum. The tissue was immediately replicated with platinum unidirectionally at $45^{\circ}$ angle and reinforced with carbon at $90^{\circ}$ angle unidirectionally or by using a rotary stage. The replication process was monitored by a quartz-crystal device. The replicas were immersed in 100% methanol overnight. The tissue was then digested from the replica by clorox (laundry bleach), placed into 5% EDTA, and washed repeatedly with distilled water. The replicas were picked up on 0.3% formvar-coated 75 mesh grids and examined in the JEOL 100B electron microscope. The results were as follows; 1. Both in thin sections and freeze-fracture replicas, three types of intercellular junctions were recognizable in the plasma membrane of odontoblast: gap junction, tight junction and desmosome-like junction. 2. The nuclear pores were evenly distributed over the nuclear envelope. The pore complex formed a ring about 70 nm in diameter. 3. Gap junctions were found between odontoblasts as well as odontoblasts and neighbouring pulp cells (fibroblast, subodontoblastic cell process, nerve-like fibre). Gap junctions, which were round, ellipsoid and pear-shaped and 600 nm in diameter, were observed in the odontoblast. 4. Numerous round and ellipsoid gap junctions could be frequently seen on the plasma membranes in cell body and apical part of the odontoblasts. On the P face, the junctions were recognized as a cluster of closely packed particles, measuring about 9 nm in diameter, and on the E face, the junctions were recognized as a shallow grooves.

• 한국의학물리학회지:의학물리
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• 제17권4호
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• pp.252-259
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• 2006

갭 정션(gap junction)은 다양한 세포에 분포되어 있으며 분자 수준의 작은 물질들이 자유롭게 교환되는 전기적 시냅스다. 망막에서, 갭 정션의 차단이 동물의 동작 감지(motion detection)에 실제적으로 어떤 영향을 주는지에 대해서는 거의 조사되지 않았다. 본 연구에서는, 망막 세포간의 전기적 시냅스를 조절하는 약물이 금붕어의 동작 감지에 어떠한 영향을 주는지를 조사하기 위해 시각운동 반응(optometer response, OMR)이 사용되었다. 갭 정션 차단제인 carbenoxolone, 8-bromo cyclic AMP, sodium nitroprusside (SNP), 8-bromo-cyclic GMP 등의 초자체 내 주사는 광- 및 암-상태에서 모두 OMR을 감소시켰다. 광-상태에서 dopamine, SKF-38393 및 eticlopride의 주사는 OMR을 감소시킨 반면 SCH-23390의 주사는 OMR을 증가시켰다. 암-상태에서는 결과가 반대로 나타났다: 즉 dopamine, SKF-38393 및 eticlopride의 주사는 OMR을 증가시킨 반면 SCH-23390의 주사는 OMR을 감소시켰다. 이러한 결과는 망막 세포들 사이의 갭 정션이 금붕어의 동작 감지에 중요한 역할을 담당하고 있음을 시사한다.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제17권1호
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• pp.63-72
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• 2013

A specific inhibitor of RNA polymerase II, ${\alpha}$-amanitin is broadly used to block transcriptional activities in cells. Previous studies showed that ${\alpha}$-amanitin affects in vitro maturation of cumulus-oocyte-complex (COC). In this study, we evaluated the target of ${\alpha}$-amanitin, and whether it affects oocytes or cumulus cells (CCs), or both. We treated ${\alpha}$-amanitin with different time period during in vitro culture of denuded oocytes (DOs) or COCs in comparison, and observed the changes in morphology and maturation status. Although DOs did not show any change in morphology and maturation rates with ${\alpha}$-amanitin treatment, oocytes from COCs were arrested at metaphase I (MI) stage and CCs were more scattered than control groups. To discover causes of meiotic arrest and scattering of CCs, we focused on changes of cumulus expansion, gap junctions, and cellular metabolism which to be the important factors for the successful in vitro maturation of COCs. Expression of genes for cumulus expansion markers (Ptx3, Has2, and Tnfaip6) and gap junctional proteins (Gja1, Gja4, and Gjc1) decreased in ${\alpha}$-amanitin-treated CCs. However, these changes were not observed in oocytes. In addition, expression of genes related to metabolism (Prps1, Rpe, Rpia, Taldo1, and Tkt) decreased in ${\alpha}$-amanitin-treated CCs but not in oocytes. Therefore, we concluded that the transcriptional activities of CCs for supporting suitable transcripts, especially for its metabolic activities and formation of gap junctions among CCs as well as with oocytes, are important for oocytes maturation in COCs.

• 대한소아치과학회지
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• 제26권2호
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• pp.399-415
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• 1999

세포내 유리칼슘(free calcium, $Ca^{2+}$)은 세균에서 고등동물에 이르기까지 거의 모든 세포에서 세포 고유작용을 조절하는 중요한 세포내 신호전달체계(signal transduction system)의 매개체이다. 타액선 세포에서 부교감 신경 자극으로 타액분비가 증가될 때에도 세포내 $Ca^{2+}$ 농도 증가가 가장 중요한 역할을 한다. 그러나 췌장(pancreas)의 경우 세포내 $Ca^{2+}$ 이외에도 인접세포를 전기적 화학적으로 연결해주는 gap junction이 외분비 기능을 직접적으로 조절할 가능설이 제시되었다. 타액선 세포에서도 세포막에 고농도의 gap junction이 존재하고 있으며 gap junction을 통해 인접세포들이 전기적, 화학적으로 연계되어 있어 gap junction이 타액선 세포의 기능을 직접적으로 조절할 가능성을 내포하고 있다. 따라서 gap junction이 타액선의 타액분비 작용에도 중요한 역할을 하며 이러한 작용이 세포내 $Ca^{2+}$ 농도를 조절하여 이루어질 것이라는 가정하에 이를 확인하는 실험을 시행하였다. 흰쥐 악하선에서 유리되는 타액양을 측정하기 위해서 악하선으로 혈액을 공급하는 동맥에 가는 관을 삽입하여 생리 식염수를 관류하면서 타액선관을 통해 타액을 채취하였다. 세포내 $Ca^{2+}$ 농도는 분리한 악하선 acini 내에 $Ca^{2+}$ 농도 변화에 민감하게 반응하는 형광물질인 fura-2를 축적시키고 형광 분석기를 사용하여 형광강도를 측정하여 다음과 같은 결과를 얻었다. 1. CCh 투여로 타액 분비가 증가하였을 때 gap junction을 봉쇄하는 약물인 octanol(1 mM)을 투여하면 타액분비가 봉쇄되었으며 이는 가역적 반응이었다. 2. CCh투여로 세포내 $Ca^{2+}$ 농도가 증가하였을 때 1mM octanol을 투여하면 세포내 $Ca^{2+}$ 농도가 CCh 투여전의 상태로 감소되었다. 3. Octanol은 CCh에 의하여 유발된 초기 $Ca^{2+}$ 증가를 억제하지는 못한 반면에 후기 $Ca^{2+}$ 농도를 감소시켰다. 4. 세포막 $Ca^{2+}$ 통로를 열어주는 약물인 thapsigargin($1{\mu}M$)을 투여하여 세포내 $Ca^{2+}$ 농도를 증가시킨 후 1mM octanol을 투여하면 세포내 $Ca^{2+}$ 농도가 thapsigargin 투여 전의 상태로 감소하였다. 5. 2,5-di-tert-butyl-1,4-benzohydroquinone(TBQ)의 투여로 세포막을 통한 $Ca^{2+}$ 농도의 주기적 변동인 $Ca^{2+}$의 oscillation이 유발되었는데, 이때 1mM octanol을 투여한 경우에 $Ca^{2+}$농도의 oscillation이 정지하여 역시 gap junction을 봉쇄하면 TBQ에 의해서 유발된 세포내 $Ca^{2+}$ 농도의 주기적 변동이 사라지고 $Ca^{2+}$ 농도의 감소가 나타남을 확인하였다. 6. Gap junction을 봉쇄하는 또 다른 약물인 glycyrrhetinic acid($100{\mu}M$)도 CCh 자극으로 인한 타액분비를 억제하였다. 이상의 결과로 미루어 gap junction은 흰쥐 악하선 세포로부터의 타액분비 조절에 중요한 역할을 하는데, 이는 gap junction이 세포막 $Ca^{2+}$ 통로를 조절함으로써 수용체 자극으로 유발된 세포내 $Ca^{2+}$ 농도 변화에 영향을 미친 결과인 것으로 추측된다.

• 한국전자현미경학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국현미경학회 2003년도 제34차 춘계학술대회
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• pp.15-16
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• 2003

• 한국생물물리학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국생물물리학회 1996년도 정기총회 및 학술발표회
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• pp.6-6
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• 1996

Gap junction channels were reconstituted into unilamellar liposomes using immunoaffinity purified connexin 32 gap junction protein from rat liver. Vesicles containing open channels and close channels were separated by means of iso-osmolar sucros density gradient sedimentation. The open channels formed in lipid vesicles were permeable to a fluorescent dye molecule, lucifer yellow of which the hydrodynamic size is similar to pore size of gap junctions in vivo. (omitted)

• Progress in Superconductivity
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• 제4권1호
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• pp.64-67
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• 2002

The attenuation of millimeter waves (70-100 ㎓) propagating along Josephson Junction stripline had been measured by pattern recognition near gap voltage and proximity current bump. Test series arrays of 2000, 3000, and 4000 Josephson junctions with the area of $12\mu\textrm{m}$$\times$ $38\mu\textrm{m}$ had two sub-arrays with 50 Junctions at both ends. The arrays were fabricated with and without applying a plasma nitridation process to Nb ground plane. The effects of a nitridationprocess measured by the pattern recognition near gap voltage and proximity current bump were about 1.3-1.7 ㏈ and 1.6-1.8 ㏈, respectively. This means that the last sub-arrays with a nitridation process receive 26-34% more power than those without a nitridation process.

• 대한전기학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한전기학회 2001년도 하계학술대회 논문집 C
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• pp.1402-1404
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• 2001

Josephson junction arrays of the type $Nb/Al-Al_2O_3/Nb$ were prepared by DC magnetron sputtering. The tunnel barrier was formed by in-situ thermal oxidation. Individual junctions were defined using selective niobium etching process(SNEP). The characteristic curves of Josephson junction arrays fabricated with and without cooling the substrate were represented. The junctions deposited without cooling showed poor characteristics(high leakage current, low gap voltage), and a high quality Josephson junction array of 2,000 junctions with high hysteresis was obtained with cooling and when operated at 74.6 GHz, it generated stable quantized voltage steps up to 2.2 V.