73 citations
,
January 2002 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology” In this study, researchers found that connexin 43-negative cells in the basal layer of the epidermis could serve as markers for keratinocyte stem cells, aiding their identification and separation.
8 citations
,
May 2024 in “PLoS Biology” This study on feather pattern formation in chicken skin found that inhibiting gap junctional intercellular communication can lead to the emergence of new feather buds in specific spatial patterns, suggesting that GJIC may facilitate Turing-type periodic patterning by propagating inhibitory signals over long distances.
3 citations
,
January 1991 in “Toxicology in Vitro” This study reports that hair follicle cultures are effective for gap junctional intercellular communication studies and can be used to assess the tumor-promoting activity of certain environmental chemicals.
April 2023 in “bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)” This study found that gap junctional communication influences feather patterning by modulating Turing-type activator-inhibitor systems in chicken skin, suggesting its role in propagating inhibitory signals crucial for pattern formation.
January 2023 in “Advances in reproductive sciences” This study found that women with PCOS and female androgenetic alopecia had significantly higher serum pannexin-1 channel levels compared to those without PCOS, suggesting a potential role in hair loss etiology.
February 2021 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology” This study found that specific junctional proteins are significantly downregulated in balding regions of the scalp in men with androgenetic alopecia, suggesting disrupted cell communication may play a role in hair loss.
152 citations
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April 2002 in “The journal of investigative dermatology/Journal of investigative dermatology” This study presents evidence that keratitis–ichthyosis–deafness syndrome is caused by a mutation in the connexin 26 gene, expanding the gene's known involvement in various disorders.
71 citations
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January 2012 in “PloS one” This study observed that after hair cell loss in the mouse cochlea, supporting cells were replaced by migrating non-specialised cells, with genetic background affecting the rate of tissue re-organization.
11 citations
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January 1981 in “Cells Tissues Organs” This article describes the structure and components of hair cuticle cells and their intercellular junctions but reports no new clinical results.
8 citations
,
October 2024 in “Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology” This review suggests that telocytes in male reproductive organs help organize tissue structure and paracrine factors, impacting organ development and pathology, but more research is needed on their molecular pathways.
7 citations
,
February 2012 in “Journal of cutaneous pathology” This case report presents unique histopathological findings in skin lesions of hereditary mucoepithelial dysplasia that have not been previously documented.
4 citations
,
October 2021 in “bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)” This study found that epidermal stem cells in live mice exhibit coordinated intercellular Ca 2+ signaling governed by G2 cycling stem cells and mediated by Connexin43, essential for tissue-wide communication during regeneration.
4 citations
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September 2004 in “Experimental Dermatology” This review discusses the role of connexin mutations in various human disorders, highlighting their impact on ectodermal epithelial phenotypes like hearing loss and skin abnormalities, but it presents no new clinical findings.
3 citations
,
January 2025 in “动物学研究” This study used high-resolution imaging and genetic analysis to investigate hair density in the Dazu black goat, identifying key genes like GJA1 and GPRC5D involved in follicle development and maintenance, and highlighted their role in animal hair density regulation.
March 2026 in “Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)” This source establishes prior art for treating androgenic alopecia and sexual dysfunction by restoring gap-junction-mediated connectivity in tissue networks, highlighting a mechanism independent of commonly targeted pathways.
March 2026 in “Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)” This document outlines a defensive publication on restoring gap-junction-mediated morphogenetic field connectivity to address disorders of tissue function, with no new clinical results reported.
March 2026 in “Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)” This document, authored by Jack Schaffer, establishes prior art for methods aimed at treating disorders related to tissue function by restoring bioelectric communication among cells, preceding specific applications for conditions like androgenic alopecia and age-related sexual dysfunction.
March 2026 in “Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)” This source discusses defensive publication regarding methods to treat androgenic alopecia and sexual dysfunction by restoring gap-junction-mediated connectivity, highlighting a unique mechanism independent of membrane voltage and not targeted by current treatments.
April 2017 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology” This study suggests that mutation-targeted siRNA therapy could potentially treat keratitis-ichthyosis-deafness syndrome by selectively reducing harmful GJB2 mutant gene expression in patient-derived keratinocytes.
April 2017 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology” This case study reports that a heterozygous missense GJA1 mutation, p.Gly138Ser, in a 2-year-old boy with oculodentodigital syndrome primarily resulted in syndactyly, fifth finger hypoplasia, and hypotrichosis, without neurological or craniofacial abnormalities.
November 2025 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology” Dark skin has stronger barriers and structure due to specific gene activity.
In this study, researchers identified three novel genetic loci associated with androgenetic alopecia, including one with significant association in females only, which may indicate a role for sex-specific genetic factors in patterned hair loss.
April 2019 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology” This study found that bioelectric and biochemical signaling mechanisms coordinate collective cell movement during chicken feather bud morphogenesis, suggesting a potential new angle for research in skin development and wound healing.
13 citations
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January 2021 in “Scientific Reports” This study found that Pannexin 3 plays a crucial role in skin development by regulating the transcription factor Epiprofin, affecting keratinocyte differentiation and hair follicle regeneration in mice.
6 citations
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June 1976 in “Journal of ultrastructure research” This study identified the presence of recognizable organelles, such as lysosomes and mitochondria, in both the keratinized fiber and the hardened inner root sheath of the Romney wool follicle.
22 citations
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April 2023 in “The Journal of Cell Biology” In this study, researchers found that coordinated intercellular Ca2+ signaling among basal stem cells in mice is crucial for cell cycle progression and tissue-wide communication during epidermal regeneration.
August 2020 in “International Journal of Research in Dermatology” This report describes a 23-year-old male with Clouston’s syndrome, characterized by nail abnormalities, palmoplantar skin thickening, anodontia, and androgenic alopecia, highlighting the need for supportive management due to the lack of a definitive treatment.
August 2019 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology” This study found that tight junctions extend to the most superficial layer of the stratum granulosum in human skin, challenging previous claims of their limited presence in the epidermis.
156 citations
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August 2016 in “Journal of controlled release” This review summarizes current knowledge on tight junctions in mammalian skin and their role in drug delivery and interaction with other barrier components, but reports no new experimental results.
56 citations
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December 2011 in “The Plant Journal” AGD1 is important for root hair development in Arabidopsis, working with phosphoinositide signaling and the actin cytoskeleton.