title: From a glial syncytium to a more restricted and specific glial networking.
abstract: In the brain, glia represents the cell population that expresses the highest level of connexins, the membrane protein constituents of gap junction channels and hemichannels. This statement has initially led to propose the existence of a glial syncytium. Since then, functional studies have established that connexin channel-mediated communication between glial cells was more restricted and plastic that primarily thought. In particular, this is the case for astrocytes that form functional networks of communicating cells. Altogether these findings lead to reconsider the interaction between neurons and glia that should not be solely studied at the single cell level but also at a more integrated level as the interplay between neuronal circuits and glial networks.
authors: CIRB, CNRS UMR UMR7241/INSERM U1050, MEMOLIFE Laboratory of Excellence and Paris Science Lettre, Collège de France, University Pierre et Marie Curie, ED, N°158, 11 Place Marcelin Berthelot, 75005 Paris, France. christian.giaume@college-de-france.fr
authors: Christian
authors: C
authors: Giaume
authors: Xinhe
authors: X
authors: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000502:physiology*; D017630:Connexins / Q000378:metabolism; D017629:Gap Junctions / Q000502:physiology*; D015726:Giant Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D017630:Connexins