Figure 7
Contribution of Cx 37, 40 and 43 in the contractile response to high potassium solution (KCl). Concentration-response curves to KCl were performed in the absence (control, squares) or in the presence of connexin-mimetic peptides targeted against Cx 37 and 43 (37-43Gap27, circles) and 40 (40Gap27, triangles). Each set of experiments was performed on intrapulmonary arteries from normoxic (normoxia, panel A, black symbols, n = 8 - 20), chronic hypoxic (chronic hypoxia, panel B, white symbols, n = 8 - 20) and monocrotaline-injected rats (monocrotaline, panel D, grey symbols, n = 4 - 12). Panels C summarizes the effect of the 37-43Gap27 on the contractile changes to KCl from normoxic to CH rat model. Data are means ± SEM and are expressed as a percentage of the high potassium solution (80 mM)-induced response. ** means a significant difference for P < 0.01.