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Updated: May 2, 2026

In Vitro Characterization of the Electrophysiological Properties of Colonic Afferent Fibers in Rats
Published on: September 27, 2017
Functional alterations in gut contractility after connexin36 ablation and evidence for gap junctions forming
James Imre Nagy1, Viridiana Urena-Ramirez2, Jean-Eric Ghia3
1Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
Abstract:
Neurons in the enteric nervous system utilize numerous neurotransmitters to orchestrate rhythmic gut smooth muscle contractions. We examined whether electrical synapses formed by gap junctions containing connexin36 also contribute to communication between enteric neurons in mouse colon. Spontaneous contractility properties and responses to electrical field stimulation and cholinergic agonist were altered in gut from connexin36 knockout vs. wild-type mice. Immunofluorescence revealed punctate labelling of connexin36 that was localized at appositions between somata of enteric neurons immunopositive for the enzyme nitric oxide synthase. There is indication for a possible functional role of gap junctions between inhibitory nitrergic enteric neurons.
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