Gap junction-mediated coupling in the postnatal anterior subventricular zone.
We have studied gap junctional communication in the anterior subventricular zone (SVZa) of postnatal rodents, revealed by intercellular diffusion of dyes in brain slices. Extensive intercellular dye spread was evident in the SVZa. Coupling was not uniform, being characteristically larger in the outer borders of this layer, overlapping the previously described peripheral zone of concentration of S-phase cells. Intercellular spread of the dye was unaffected by acidification, but totally blocked by high Ca(2+) concentrations. In addition, application of some known uncoupling agents as carbenoxolone and halothane led to a marked reduction of dye spread in the SVZa. Our results demonstrate the presence of dye coupling mediated by gap junctions in the SVZa. Furthermore, the spatial organization of dye coupling in these slices strongly suggests the existence of cell compartments in the postnatal SVZa.
Menezes
J R
JR
Departamento de Anatomia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. jmenezes@anato.ufrj.br
Fróes
M M
MM
Moura Neto
V
V
Lent
R
R
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000502:physiology*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002229:Carbenoxolone / Q000494:pharmacology; D002552:Cerebral Ventricles / Q000502:physiology*; D003911:Dextrans / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D004058:Diffusion / Q000187:drug effects; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D017629:Gap Junctions / Q000502:physiology*; D006221:Halothane / Q000494:pharmacology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007425:Intracellular Membranes / Q000378:metabolism; D007546:Isoquinolines / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D051379:Mice; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012235:Rhodamines / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D014475:Uncoupling Agents / Q000494:pharmacology
D003911:Dextrans; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D007546:Isoquinolines; D012235:Rhodamines; D014475:Uncoupling Agents; C051311:rhodamine dextran; C017475:lucifer yellow; D002229:Carbenoxolone; D002118:Calcium; D006221:Halothane