Coupled heterocellular arrays in the brain

Fróes, Maira Monteiro; Menezes, João R.L.

doi:10.1016/s0197-0186(02)00016-5

Cited by 15 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 133 publications

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“…Several reviews have been published recently on gap junction structure (534,548,665), trafficking of protein subunits (154,314,317,666), channel gating (36, 59, 108), pharmacological regulation (45, 499,550), and functional features of the channels (353,443,540,614). Other reviews have covered the roles and regulation of gap junctions in development (338,352) and in various mature tissues and organs, including vascular tissue (60,91), urogenital smooth muscle (269), the heart (50) and cardiovascular system (128), pancreas (377), endocrine glands (395), the nervous system (65,122,123,168,546,552), and the immune system (11,502,503). Other reports describe the regulation and role of gap junctions in tissue injury (120) and the involvement of gap junctional communication in the phenotypes observed in connexin knock-out animals and/or different diseases (134, 540,647,662).…”

Section: General Commentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Plasma Membrane Channels Formed by Connexins: Their Regulation and Functions

Sáez

Berthoud

Brañes

et al. 2003

Physiological Reviews

1,048

952

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Members of the connexin gene family are integral membrane proteins that form hexamers called connexons. Most cells express two or more connexins. Open connexons found at the nonjunctional plasma membrane connect the cell interior with the extracellular milieu. They have been implicated in physiological functions including paracrine intercellular signaling and in induction of cell death under pathological conditions. Gap junction channels are formed by docking of two connexons and are found at cell-cell appositions. Gap junction channels are responsible for direct intercellular transfer of ions and small molecules including propagation of inositol trisphosphate-dependent calcium waves. They are involved in coordinating the electrical and metabolic responses of heterogeneous cells. New approaches have expanded our knowledge of channel structure and connexin biochemistry (e.g., protein trafficking/assembly, phosphorylation, and interactions with other connexins or other proteins). The physiological role of gap junctions in several tissues has been elucidated by the discovery of mutant connexins associated with genetic diseases and by the generation of mice with targeted ablation of specific connexin genes. The observed phenotypes range from specific tissue dysfunction to embryonic lethality.

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Section: General Commentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Plasma Membrane Channels Formed by Connexins: Their Regulation and Functions

Sáez

Berthoud

Brañes

et al. 2003

Physiological Reviews

1,048

952

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Recently, it has been demonstrated that this effect does not require functional coupling, and may be due to the interaction of connexins with N-cadherin (54). In most systems where gap junctions were shown to be positively linked to migration, cells do not migrate as individual cells but as cohorts (55), as neural crest and RMS cells, suggesting that gap junction expression favors adhesion of these migrating cells. Since GJIC inhibition, besides migration, also affects proliferation (44) we postulate that cell coupling may be a key component for the initiation of migration, in contrast to the radial migration in the embryonic cortex, where uncoupling is a possible start signal for migration (52).…”

Section: Cell Contact-mediating Moleculesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cell migration in the postnatal subventricular zone

Menezes

Marins

Alves

et al. 2002

Braz J Med Biol Res

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New neurons are constantly added to the olfactory bulb of rodents from birth to adulthood. This accretion is not only dependent on sustained neurogenesis, but also on the migration of neuroblasts and immature neurons from the cortical and striatal subventricular zone (SVZ) to the olfactory bulb. Migration along this long tangential pathway, known as the rostral migratory stream (RMS), is in many ways opposite to the classical radial migration of immature neurons: it is faster, spans a longer distance, does not require radial glial guidance, and is not limited to postmitotic neurons. In recent years many molecules have been found to be expressed specifically in this pathway and to directly affect this migration. Soluble factors with inhibitory, attractive and inductive roles in migration have been described, as well as molecules mediating cell-to-cell and cell-substrate interactions. However, it is still unclear how the various molecules and cells interact to account for the special migratory behavior in the RMS. Here we will propose some candidate mechanisms for roles in initiating and stopping SVZ/RMS migration.

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“…Early in brain development electrical coupling of neurons through gap junctions is widespread, precedes chemical synaptic activity, and has been proposed to contribute to neuronal circuit maturation (Fróes and Menezes 2002;Hormuzdi et al 2004;Sutor and Hagerty 2005). In the neonatal spinal cord of the rat, stable motor activity can be produced without action potentials as a result of synchronization through gap junctions (Tresch and Kiehn 2000).…”

Section: Gap Junctionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Physiological Foundation of Yoga Chakra Expression

Maxwell¹

2009

Zygon

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Chakras are a basic concept of yoga but typically are ignored by scientific research on yoga, probably because descriptions of chakras can appear like a fanciful mythology. Chakras are commonly considered to be centers of concentrated metaphysical energy. Although clear physiological effects exist for yoga practices, no explanation of how chakras influence physiological function has been broadly accepted either in the scientific community or among yoga scholars. This problem is exacerbated by the fact that yoga is based on subjective experience, and practitioners often shun objective descriptions. This essay builds on earlier work hypothesizing that intercellular gap junction connections provide a physiological mechanism underlying subtle energy systems described in yoga as well as other disciplines such as acupuncture. Three physical aspects of chakras are distinguished that are integrated through gap junction mechanisms and are proposed to have arisen during embryological development. Furthermore, electrical conductance associated with a high concentration of gap junctions could generate phenomena that, when subjectively experienced, have the radiant qualities attributed to chakras. This theory provides a scientific rationale for previously unexplained details of chakra theory and offers a new orientation to conceptualizing and studying such subjective phenomena.

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Coupled heterocellular arrays in the brain

Cited by 15 publications

References 133 publications

Plasma Membrane Channels Formed by Connexins: Their Regulation and Functions

Plasma Membrane Channels Formed by Connexins: Their Regulation and Functions

Cell migration in the postnatal subventricular zone

The Physiological Foundation of Yoga Chakra Expression

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