Orthmann-Murphy Jennifer L, Abrams Charles K, Scherer Steven S
Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA,
J Mol Neurosci. 2008 May;35(1):101-16. doi: 10.1007/s12031-007-9027-5.
In vertebrates, a family of related proteins called connexins form gap junctions (GJs), which are intercellular channels. In the central nervous system (CNS), GJs couple oligodendrocytes and astrocytes (O/A junctions) and adjacent astrocytes (A/A junctions), but not adjacent oligodendrocytes, forming a "glial syncytium." Oligodendrocytes and astrocytes each express different connexins. Mutations of these connexin genes demonstrate that the proper functioning of myelin and oligodendrocytes requires the expression of these connexins. The physiological function of O/A and A/A junctions, however, remains to be illuminated.
在脊椎动物中,一类名为连接蛋白的相关蛋白质形成了间隙连接(GJs),即细胞间通道。在中枢神经系统(CNS)中,间隙连接连接少突胶质细胞和星形胶质细胞(O/A连接)以及相邻的星形胶质细胞(A/A连接),但不连接相邻的少突胶质细胞,从而形成一个“胶质合体”。少突胶质细胞和星形胶质细胞各自表达不同的连接蛋白。这些连接蛋白基因的突变表明,髓磷脂和少突胶质细胞的正常功能需要这些连接蛋白的表达。然而,O/A和A/A连接的生理功能仍有待阐明。