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Functional heterotypic interactions between astrocyte and oligodendrocyte connexins
Author(s) -
Magnotti Laura M.,
Goodenough Daniel A.,
Paul David L.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
glia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.954
H-Index - 164
eISSN - 1098-1136
pISSN - 0894-1491
DOI - 10.1002/glia.21073
Subject(s) - oligodendrocyte , connexin , astrocyte , biology , gap junction , neuroscience , myelin , intracellular , microbiology and biotechnology , neuroglia , central nervous system
Human genetic diseases and mouse knockouts illustrate that the maintenance of central nervous system myelin requires connexin expression by both astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. Because these cell types express nonoverlapping sets of connexins, the intercellular channels formed between them must be asymmetric with regard to connexin content, defined as heterotypic. Here, we show that oligodendrocyte Cx47 can form heterotypic channels with astrocyte Cx43 or Cx30 but not Cx26, whereas oligodendrocyte Cx32 can functionally interact with astrocyte Cx30 or Cx26 but not Cx43. Thus, as many as four types of intercellular channels could be formed between astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.