Rakotobe Malalaniaina, Zurzolo Chiara
Membrane Traffic and Pathogenesis, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR 3691, Paris, F-75015, France.
Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc. 2025 Oct;100(5):2055-2070. doi: 10.1111/brv.70034. Epub 2025 Jun 14.
Following Ramón y Cajal's groundbreaking contributions to the identification of synapses, research in neuroscience predominantly focused on their pivotal role in neural communication (the neuron doctrine), overlooking an intriguing possibility suggested by Golgi of non-synaptic interactions among neural cells. Recent studies across species have unveiled the existence of direct cellular communication through modalities such as intercellular bridges (IBs) formed during incomplete cytokinesis, de novo tunnelling nanotubes (TNTs), and cytoplasmic connections arising from cell-cell fusion. In this review, we delve into these non-synaptic modes of communication between neural cells, describing their morphological features and functional significance. Notably, we discuss recent in vivo findings in ctenophores and in mice which offer fresh insights into the evolutionary functions of these intercellular connections. These findings underscore the need to consider the roles of cytoplasmic connections in neural cell communication during brain development and in pathophysiological conditions. This review highlights the importance of investigating these non-synaptic communication pathways to improve our understanding of neural communication and evolution in metazoans.
在拉蒙·伊·卡哈尔对突触识别做出开创性贡献之后，神经科学研究主要聚焦于突触在神经通信中的关键作用（神经元学说），而忽略了高尔基提出的神经细胞间非突触相互作用这一有趣的可能性。最近跨物种的研究揭示了通过诸如不完全胞质分裂过程中形成的细胞间桥（IBs）、新生隧道纳米管（TNTs）以及细胞 - 细胞融合产生的细胞质连接等方式存在直接细胞通信。在这篇综述中，我们深入探讨神经细胞间这些非突触通信模式，描述它们的形态特征和功能意义。值得注意的是，我们讨论了最近在栉水母和小鼠中的体内研究发现，这些发现为这些细胞间连接的进化功能提供了新的见解。这些发现强调了在脑发育和病理生理条件下考虑细胞质连接在神经细胞通信中作用的必要性。这篇综述强调了研究这些非突触通信途径对于增进我们对后生动物神经通信和进化理解的重要性。
