Correlation of GDF5 and connexin 43 mRNA expression during embryonic development

Abstract
Growth/differentiation factor 5 (GDF5) regulates connexin expression and enhances embryonic chondrogenesis in a gap junction‐dependent manner, suggesting that GDF5 action on developmental skeletogenesis is coordinated with gap junction activities. The results shown here demonstrate concordance between the mRNA expression profiles of GDF5 and the gap junction gene, Cx43, in the mouse embryonic limb, spine, and heart, consistent with coordinated functions for these gene products during developmental organogenesis. Anat Rec Part A 275A:1117–1121, 2003.