Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UNIPROT:P61278 (somatostatin)
 22,083 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Inhibitory interneurons often generate synchronous activity as an emergent property of their interconnections. To determine the role of electrical synapses in such activity, we constructed mice expressing histochemical reporters in place of the gap junction protein Cx36. Localization of the reporter with somatostatin and parvalbumin suggested that Cx36 was expressed largely by interneurons. Electrical synapses were common among cortical interneurons in controls but were nearly absent in knockouts. A metabotropic glutamate receptor agonist excited LTS interneurons, generating rhythmic inhibitory potentials in surrounding neurons of both wild-type and knockout animals. However, the synchrony of these rhythms was weaker and more spatially restricted in the knockout. We conclude that electrical synapses containing Cx36 are critical for the generation of widespread, synchronous inhibitory activity.
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PMID:Synchronous activity of inhibitory networks in neocortex requires electrical synapses containing connexin36. 1151 91

Electrical synapses, particularly gap junctions composed of connexin (Cx) 36, have been suggested to synchronize neuronal network oscillations. Recently, we generated Cx30.2-deficient mice which express beta-galactosidase under control of Cx30.2 gene regulatory elements. In the central nervous system beta-galactosidase activity representing Cx30.2 expression was restricted to NeuN-positive cells, thus identifying Cx30.2 as new neuronal connexin. In the hippocampus, co-immunofluorescence analyses revealed beta-galactosidase/Cx30.2 expression in GABAergic inhibitory interneurons such as parvalbumin- and somatostatin-positive basket, axo-axonic, bistratified or oriens lacunosum-moleculare cells. approximately 94% of the Cx30.2 expressing parvalbumin-positive interneurons also expressed Cx36. Performing field potential recordings from hippocampal slices we found no differences in basal excitation and excitation-inhibition balance between Cx30.2+/+ and Cx30.2LacZ/LacZ)mice. Furthermore, frequency and power of gap junction dependent gamma and ripples oscillations were similar in these animals. This suggests that the lack of Cx30.2 in interneurons can be largely compensated by other connexins, most likely Cx36.
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PMID:Expression of connexin30.2 in interneurons of the central nervous system in the mouse. 1794 21