Klaus Willecke

TL;DR: This review compares currently identified connexin genes in both the mouse and human genome and discusses the functions of gap junctions deduced from targeted mouse mutants and human genetic disorders.

TL;DR: Functional properties, like permeabilities, charge selectivity and unitary conductivity were investigated after directed expression of these connexins in cultured cell lines or paired Xenopus oocytes and targeted deletion of their coding sequence in the mouse genome allowed study of the biological relevance of Cx37, CX40, Cx43 and Cx45 with regard to cardiovascular morphology and function.

TL;DR: The hypothesis that different connexin channels show different permeabilities to second messenger molecules as well as metabolites and may fulfill in this way their specific role in growth control and differentiation of cell types is supported.

TL;DR: It is shown that the gap-junction subunit proteins connexin 43 and 30 allow intercellular trafficking of glucose and its metabolites through astroglial networks for the delivery of energetic metabolites from blood vessels to distal neurons.

TL;DR: It was found that lacZ expression was primarily limited to the central nervous system, but therein was widespread in neurons and ependyma, suggesting that the hGFAP promoter is active in a multi‐potential neural stem cell.