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Updated: Aug 25, 2026

Reconstruction of the Blood-Brain Barrier In Vitro to Model and Therapeutically Target Neurological Disease
Published on: October 20, 2023
Gap junctions and neurological disorders of the central nervous system
Taizen Nakase1, Christian C G Naus
1Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of British Columbia, 313-2177 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver BC, Canada V6T 1Z3.
Abstract:
Gap junctions are intercellular channels which directly connect the cytoplasm between neighboring cells. In the central nervous system (CNS) various kinds of cells are coupled by gap junctions, which play an important role in maintaining normal function. Neuronal gap junctions are involved in electrical coupling and may also contribute to the recovery of function after cell injury. Astrocytes are involved in the pathology of most neuronal disorders, including brain ischemia, Alzheimer's disease and epilepsy. In the pathology of brain tumors, gap junctions may be related to the degree of malignancy and metastasis. However, the role of connexins, gap junctions and hemichannels in the pathology of the diseases in the CNS is still ambiguous. Of increasing importance is the unraveling of the function of gap junctions in the neural cell network, involving neurons, astrocytes, microglia and oligodendrocytes. A better understanding of the role of gap junctions may contribute to the development of new therapeutic approaches to treating diseases of the CNS.
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