Gap Junctions and Connexins in Developing CNS

描述(申请人提供)：缝隙连接为薄膜 将细胞直接连接到电学、离子和新陈代谢的专业化 沟通。在成年大鼠的中枢神经系统中，缝隙连接是 胶质(支持)细胞数量丰富，但相对较少。 在神经元之间。在发育过程中，缝隙连接耦合较强 据报道，神经元和神经胶质细胞之间也存在这种现象。一个 电子显微镜冷冻-断裂相结合的综合方法 免疫细胞化学、共聚焦显微镜免疫细胞化学和单细胞 RT-PCR将被用来鉴定缝隙连接“连接蛋白”蛋白质分子 存在于神经元和神经胶质细胞中，决定神经元是否共享缝隙连接 并分析早期神经元缝隙连接的分布。 出生后中枢神经系统。缝隙连接被认为为新陈代谢和 神经元分化过程中的调控分子 成熟。被检查的中枢神经系统区域有蓝斑、体感 大脑皮层和脊髓。获得关于组合物的准确数据 这些区域中的细胞间耦合关系将是 了解调节机制：(1)神经元和神经胶质细胞的正常发育 (2)神经元回路的生后组织和重组； (3)早期神经元池正常塑形过程中的细胞程序性死亡 出生后发育；(4)神经元同步性和节律性爆发 发育中神经元和成体神经元的活动；(5)异常同步爆发 活动，例如在癫痫发作中。

DESCRIPTION (provided by the applicant): Gap junctions are membrane specializations that link cells directly for electrical, ionic and metabolic communication. In the central nervous system of adult rats, gap junctions are abundant between glial (supporting) cells, but relatively few are present between neurons. During development, gap junctional coupling is strong between neurons and have been reported to occur between neurons and glial cells. An integrated approach using a combination of electron microscopic freeze-fracture immunocytochemistry, confocal microscopic immunocytochemistry, and single-cell RT-PCR will be used to identify the gap junction "connexin" protein molecules that are present in neurons and glia, determine if neurons share gap junctions with glia, and assay the distribution of neuronal gap junctions in early postnatal CNS. Gap junctions are thought to provide pathways for metabolic and regulatory molecules during the period of neuronal differentiation and maturation. Areas of the CNS to be examined are locus coeruleus, somatosensory cortex, and spinal cord. Obtaining accurate data regarding the composition and intercellular coupling relationships in those areas will be essential for understanding mechanisms regulating: (1) normal development of neurons and glia in the CNS; (2) postnatal organization and reorganization of neuronal circuits; (3) programmed cell death during normal sculpting of the neuron pools in early postnatal development; (4) neuronal synchronization and rhythmic bursting activity in developing and adult neurons; and (5) abnormal synchronous bursting activity, such as in epileptic seizures.