title: Role of gap junctions in epilepsy.
abstract: Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder characterized by periodic and unpredictable seizures. Gap junctions have recently been proposed to be involved in the generation, synchronization and maintenance of seizure events. The present review mainly summarizes recent reports concerning the contribution of gap junctions to the pathophysiology of epilepsy, together with the regulation of connexin after clinical and experimental seizure activity. The anticonvulsant effects of gap junction blockers both in vitro and in vivo suggest that the gap junction is a candidate target for the development of antiepileptic drugs. It is also of interest that the roles of neuronal and astrocytic gap junctions in epilepsy have been investigated independently, based on evidence from pharmacological manipulations and connexin-knockout mice. Further studies using more specific manipulations of gap junctions in different cell types and in human epileptic tissue are needed to fully uncover the role of gap junctions in epilepsy.
authors: Department of Pharmacology, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
authors: Miao-Miao
authors: MM
authors: Jin
authors: Zhong
authors: Z
authors: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D017630:Connexins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D017629:Gap Junctions / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D055786:Gene Knockout Techniques; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000503:physiopathology; D012640:Seizures / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D017630:Connexins