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Published on: August 30, 2019
Evidence against a role of gap junctions in vestibular compensation
1Laboratoire de Neurobiologie des Réseaux Sensorimoteurs, CNRS UMR7060 - Université Paris Descartes, UFR Biomédicale des Saints-Pères, 45 rue des St-pères, Paris 75270, France. mathieu.beraneck@parisdescartes.fr
Neuronal gap junctions influence vestibular neuron activity, but unilateral labyrinthectomy does not alter their expression or function in the medial vestibular nucleus. This suggests a stable role for these junctions in vestibular nuclei.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Vestibular System Physiology
Background:
- Vestibular compensation after unilateral labyrinthectomy involves changes in central vestibular neuron properties.
- Gap junctions, mediating direct cell-to-cell communication, are potential contributors to these adaptive changes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of neuronal connexin 36 and astrocytic connexin 43 in vestibular compensation.
- To determine if gap junction expression or function in the medial vestibular nucleus (MVN) is altered post-labyrinthectomy.
Main Methods:
- Immunofluorescent detection of connexin 36 and connexin 43 in rat MVN.
- Extracellular recordings of MVN neurons in guinea pig brainstem slices.
- Pharmacological blockade of gap junctions using carbenoxolone and other agents.
Main Results:
- Connexin 43 and connexin 36 expression in the MVN remained unchanged after unilateral labyrinthectomy.
- The gap junction blocker carbenoxolone reduced spontaneous neuronal discharge and disrupted firing regularity in MVN neurons.
- These effects were specific to gap junction blockade and were observed in both non-lesioned and labyrinthectomized animals.
Conclusions:
- Neuronal gap junctions play a significant role in regulating the spontaneous activity of MVN neurons.
- Unilateral labyrinthectomy does not alter the expression or functional involvement of gap junctions in the vestibular nuclei.
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