Osteoblast and osteocyte-specific loss of Connexin43 results in delayed bone formation and healing during murine fracture healing.

ABSTRACT: Connexin43 (Cx43) plays an important role in osteoblastic differentiation in vitro, and bone formation in vivo. Mice with osteoblast/osteocyte-specific loss of Cx43 display decreased gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC), bone density, and cortical thickness. To determine the role of Cx43 in fracture healing, a closed femur fracture was induced in Osteocalcin-Cre+; Cx43(flox/flox) (Cx43cKO) and Cre-; Cx43(flox/flox) (WT) mice. We tested the hypothesis that loss of Cx43 results in decreased bone formation and impaired healing following fracture. Here, we show that osteoblast and osteocyte-specific deletion of Cx43 results in decreased bone formation, bone remodeling, and mechanical properties during fracture healing. Cx43cKO mice display decreased bone volume, total volume, and

SUBMITTER: Loiselle AE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3640531 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature