title: Expression of connexin 36 in central nervous system and its role in epileptic seizure.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This review discusses the experimental and clinical studies those show the expression of connexin 36 in the central nervous system and the possible role of connexin 36 in epileptic seizure.
  
  
  METHODS
  All articles used in this review were mainly searched from PubMed published in English from 1996 to 2012.
  
  
  METHODS
  Original articles and reviews were selected if they were related to the expression of connexin 36 in the central nervous system and its role in epilepsy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The distribution of connexin 36 is developmentally regulated, cell-specific and region-specific. Connexin 36 is involved in some neuronal functions and epileptic synchronization. Changes in the connexin 36 gene and protein were accompanied by seizures. Selective gap junction blockers have exerted anticonvulsant actions in a variety of experiments examined in both humans and experimental animals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Connexin 36 plays an important role in both physiological and pathological conditions in the central nervous system. A better understanding of the role of connexin 36 in seizure activity may contribute to the development of new therapeutic approaches to treating epilepsy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, the Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China.
authors.forename: Yu-Fen
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Jiong-Xing
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Heng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Xuan-Qi
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Zhi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Song
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism; D017630:Connexins / Q000378:metabolism*; D017629:Gap Junctions / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D012640:Seizures / Q000378:metabolism*; D000097004:Gap Junction delta-2 Protein
chemical_list: D017630:Connexins; D000097004:Gap Junction delta-2 Protein