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Hemichannel composition and electrical synaptic transmission: molecular diversity and its implications for electrical
Nicolás Palacios-Prado1, Wolf Huetteroth2, Alberto E Pereda1
1Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine Bronx, NY, USA ; Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole Massachusetts, MA, USA.
Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience
|November 1, 2014
Summary
Molecular differences in unapposed hemichannels (HCs) at electrical synapses lead to electrical signal rectification. This asymmetry in connexin (Cx) and innexin-based junctions influences neuronal communication complexity.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cell Biology
- Biophysics
Background:
- Unapposed hemichannels (HCs), formed by gap junction proteins, play roles in cellular functions.
- The impact of molecular differences in HCs on electrical synaptic transmission is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review existing data on how molecular differences in HCs affect electrical transmission at heterotypic gap junctions (GJs).
- To explore the mechanisms behind electrical rectification at synapses.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies on electrical synapses.
- Analysis of data concerning connexin (Cx) and innexin-based electrical synapses.
Main Results:
- Molecular differences between apposed HCs at electrical synapses are associated with rectification of electrical transmission.
- This rectification phenomenon is observed in both innexin and connexin (Cx) based electrical synapses.
Conclusions:
- Asymmetries in HC molecular composition and sensitivity to cellular factors influence electrical signal transmission.
- These asymmetries contribute to complex functional properties of electrical synapses.
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