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Related Concept Videos

Gap Junctions01:27

Gap Junctions

9.5K
The cytoplasm of adjacent animal cells can exchange small molecules, ions, and secondary messengers via the communication channels which form the gap junctions. These junctions comprise a few hundred to thousands of molecular channels, each made of two halves, called the connexon hemichannel. A connexon is a hexamer of six transmembrane connexin proteins, which assemble radially, thus forming a pore or channel in the center. One connexon hemichannel docks with a corresponding connexon on the...
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Gap Junctions01:37

Gap Junctions

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Multicellular organisms employ a variety of ways for cells to communicate with each other. Gap junctions are specialized proteins that form pores between neighboring cells in animals, connecting the cytoplasm between the two, and allowing for the exchange of molecules and ions. They are found in a wide range of invertebrate and vertebrate species, mediate numerous functions including cell differentiation and development, and are associated with numerous human diseases, including cardiac and...
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Protein Networks02:26

Protein Networks

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An organism can have thousands of different proteins, and these proteins must cooperate to ensure the health of an organism. Proteins bind to other proteins and form complexes to carry out their functions. Many proteins interact with multiple other proteins creating a complex network of protein interactions.
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The genomes of eukaryotes are punctuated by long stretches of sequence which do not code for proteins or RNAs. Although some of these regions do contain crucial regulatory sequences, the vast majority of this DNA serves no known function. Typically, these regions of the genome are the ones in which the fastest change, in evolutionary terms, is observed, because there is typically little to no selection pressure acting on these regions to preserve their sequences.
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P-N junction01:11

P-N junction

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A p-n junction is formed when p-type and n-type semiconductor materials are joined together. At the interface of the p-n junction, holes from the p-side and electrons from the n-side begin to diffuse into the opposite sides due to the concentration gradient. This diffusion of carriers leads to a region around the junction where there are no free charge carriers, known as the depletion region. The charge density within the depletion region for the n-side and p-side can be described by the...
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Slow Dynamics in Microcolumnar Gap Junction Network of Developing Neocortical Pyramidal Neurons.

Nao Nakagawa1, Toshihiko Hosoya1

  • 1RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan.

Neuroscience
|February 23, 2019
PubMed
Summary

Electrical coupling via gap junctions in developing mouse neocortex amplifies and slowly synchronizes neuronal firing. This unique slow synchronization, mediated by apical dendrites, shapes cortical circuit activity.

Keywords:
cerebral cortexdendritesgap junctionneocortexpyramidal neuron

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Computational Neuroscience
  • Developmental Neuroscience

Background:

  • Gap junctions are crucial for electrical coupling between neurons, modulating their firing activity.
  • Pyramidal neurons in mouse neocortical layer 5 form cell type-specific microcolumns with modular activity.
  • During development, neurons form a dense gap junction network, but its modulatory role is unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how the gap junction network modulates neuronal activity in developing mouse neocortical layer 5.
  • To elucidate the dynamics of electrical coupling and its impact on neuronal synchronization.

Main Methods:

  • Electrophysiological recordings in mouse neocortical slices.
  • Analysis of neuronal firing activity and synchronization.
  • Theoretical and structural analyses of dendritic coupling.

Main Results:

  • Electrical coupling amplifies action potentials and induces slow synchronization.
  • This synchronization is significantly slower than in other neuronal types.
  • Apical dendrites are identified as a primary site for this slow electrical transmission.

Conclusions:

  • The gap junction network plays a key role in organizing neuronal activity in developing cortical modules.
  • Unique slow dynamics mediated by electrical coupling shape the functional properties of cortical circuits.
  • Apical dendritic coupling contributes to the distinct temporal properties of neuronal communication.