SDF-1 regulates connexin 43 expression and intercellular coupling. (a-c) Graph illustrates changes in Cx 43 immunoreactivity following SDF-1 and AMD3100 treatments in primary cortical cultures. (b, c) Representative images of control (b) and SDF-1 treated (c) cultures stained for Cx 43 (green) and DAPI counter stain (blue); arrows in (c) indicate 'plaque-like' labeling of Cx 43 immunoreactivity around cell surfaces, in contrast to the punctate staining visible in control culture. (d-h) Graph shows the percent of proliferative population (Ki67+ cells) in various treatments applied to cortical cultures. (e-h) Examples of Ki67+ cells (green) counterstained with DAPI (blue) in control (e), SDF-1 (f), carbenoxalone (g) SDF-1 + carbenoxalone (h) treated cultures. (i-m) Graph shows the extent of LY dye transfer in E17 whole mounted cortical explants that were maintained in various treatment conditions. (j-m) Examples of low and high magnification images illustrating dye transfer in control (j, k) and SDF-1 treatment (l, m), respectively; * on images indicate the scrape line. (n-p) Graphs indicate synchronized calcium transients measured in E17 whole mounted cortical explants that were in acute (n) and chronic (o) treatments. Synchronized transients were measured between adjacent cells in the cortical VZ as shown in a representative image (p). Scale bar: j, l, 250 μm; b, c, e-h, k, m, 100 μm.