生物谷報道：間隙連接處（Gap junctions）是相鄰細胞形成小孔或通道,、讓信號分子和離子在細胞之間自由通過的地方,，它們存在于脊椎動物的很多成年細胞和正在發(fā)育的細胞中,。它們的功能一直被認為在很大程度是由于細胞之間的分子流動,。但事情并不是這么簡單?，F(xiàn)在,，Elias等人提供的證據(jù)表明,，間隙連接處在神經(jīng)遷移中發(fā)揮一定作用,，而對遷移來說重要的是間隙連接蛋白的粘附性能及細胞之間接觸點的性質(zhì)，不是它們通道的導通性能,。該結(jié)果發(fā)表在最新一期的《自然》雜志上,。
這一發(fā)現(xiàn)的意義已經(jīng)超出了腦發(fā)育。因為很多其他間隙連接功能（包括參與腫瘤的轉(zhuǎn)移）也可能取決于粘附性能而不是小孔功能,，所以間隙連接處可能因以前沒有被考慮到的方式而易于操控,。
FIGURE 1. Cx26 and Cx43 are localized to contact points between migrating neurons and radial glial fibres.
a, e, Immunohistochemistry of cortical sections at E16 showing overlay of Cx26 (a) or Cx43 (e) (red), vimentin (green) to label radial fibres, and -III tubulin (blue) to label immature neurons. b, f, Red channel of panels a and e showing expression pattern of Cx26 (b) or Cx43 (f). c, g, Migrating neuron from boxed area of panels a and e; clockwise: overlay, vimentin (green), Cx26 (c) or Cx43 (g) (red), and -III tubulin (blue). Cx26 and Cx43 are expressed in neurons and radial glia (white arrows). d, h, Overlay of Cx26 (d) or Cx43 (h) and -III tubulin in migrating neuron (from panels c and g). i, j, 'High resolution' confocal stacks highlighting the relationship between Cx26 (i) or Cx43 (j) puncta, vimentin+ fibres and a -III tubulin+ neuron (dotted outline). Cross sections through the x and y axis, bottom and right panels, respectively, show individual connexin puncta (white arrows) at the interface between the vimentin+ radial fibre and -III tubulin+ migrating neuron (Supplementary Movies 1 and 2 provide three-dimensional rotations). Scale bars, 5 m. CP, cortical plate; IZ, intermediate zone; VZ, ventricular zone.
原文出處：
Nature Volume 448 Number 7156
Gap junction adhesion is necessary for radial migration in the neocortex p901
Laura A. B. Elias, Doris D. Wang & Arnold R. Kriegstein
doi:10.1038/nature06063
Abstract | Full Text | PDF (2,143K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary
