Oligodendrocytes express gap junction proteins connexin32 and connexin45

Oligodendrocytes, the myelin‐forming glia of brain, are connected by gap junctions in situ and in culture. Cultured oligodendrocytes from adult bovine and porcine brains were studied using immunocytochemical, molecular, and electrophysiological techniques in order to characterize the gap junction ty...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Glia 1997-06, Vol.20 (2), p.101-114
Main Authors: Dermietzel, R., Farooq, M., Kessler, J.A., Althaus, H., Hertzberg, E.L., Spray, D.C.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Biological and medical sciences
Brain - cytology
Brain - physiology
Cattle
Cells, Cultured
connexin32
connexin45
Connexins - analysis
Connexins - biosynthesis
DNA Primers
Electric Conductivity
electrical coupling
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
gap junction
Gap Junction beta-1 Protein
Gap Junctions - physiology
Gap Junctions - ultrastructure
Isolated neuron and nerve. Neuroglia
Membrane Potentials
Myelin Sheath - physiology
Myelin Sheath - ultrastructure
oligodendrocytes
Oligodendroglia - cytology
Oligodendroglia - physiology
Patch-Clamp Techniques
Polymerase Chain Reaction
Swine
Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs
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Summary:Oligodendrocytes, the myelin‐forming glia of brain, are connected by gap junctions in situ and in culture. Cultured oligodendrocytes from adult bovine and porcine brains were studied using immunocytochemical, molecular, and electrophysiological techniques in order to characterize the gap junction types. The expression of connexin32 was substantiated by the detection of low, but significant, signals using connexin‐specific probes in Northern and Western blot analyses. Connexin43, which comprises gap junctions in astrocytes, was not detectable in pure oligodendrocytic cultures; mRNAs of connexin40 and connexin37 and connexin26 were also not detected. By means of two specific antibodies directed to the recently cloned connexin45 and by RT‐PCR we were able to identify this connexin as a second oligodendrocytic gap junction protein. Whole cell voltage clamp recording provided evidence for electrical coupling between pairs of cultured oligodendrocytes (mean junctional conductance 3.9 nS, n = 38 pairs) and intracellular Lucifer Yellow injection indicated that oligodendrocytes were usually only weakly dye coupled, with spread generally being restricted to nearest neighbors. Unitary conductances ranged from >20 to
ISSN:0894-1491
1098-1136
DOI:10.1002/(SICI)1098-1136(199706)20:2<101::AID-GLIA2>3.0.CO;2-C