Robinson S R, Hampson E C, Munro M N, Vaney D I
Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
Science. 1993 Nov 12;262(5136):1072-4. doi: 10.1126/science.8093125.
Gap junctions permit the passage of ions and small molecules between cells, thereby providing a basis for direct intercellular communication. In the rabbit retina, the low molecular weight dyes Lucifer yellow and biocytin passed readily from astrocytes into adjacent astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and Müller cells. However, the dyes rarely passed from either oligodendrocytes or Müller cells into astrocytes. Unidirectional passage of dye suggests the presence of an asymmetric barrier to the movement of molecules through heterologous gap junctions and indicates the potential for a hierarchy of command between interconnected cells.
缝隙连接允许离子和小分子在细胞间通过，从而为细胞间直接通讯提供了基础。在兔视网膜中，低分子量染料鲁米诺黄和生物素很容易从星形胶质细胞传递到相邻的星形胶质细胞、少突胶质细胞和米勒细胞中。然而，这些染料很少从少突胶质细胞或米勒细胞传递到星形胶质细胞中。染料的单向传递表明存在一个不对称的屏障，阻止分子通过异源缝隙连接移动，并暗示了相互连接的细胞之间存在指挥层级的可能性。
