The present study examined the distributions of @entity10277 mRNA and @entity39858 mRNA in the central nervous system (CNS) of the @entity35 by using in situ hybridization histochemistry. These connexins are the best studied gap junction proteins; @entity39858 forms direct cell-cell channels in the liver, as does @entity10277 in the heart. There was a differential distribution of cells containing @entity39858 mRNA compared with the population of cells which contained @entity10277 mRNA, thus implying a regional specificity in the expression of connexins in the CNS. Cells containing @entity10277 mRNA were uniformly distributed throughout the gray matter of the neuraxis. Several areas had a higher concentration of cells that express @entity10277 , such as layer IA of the piriform cortex, supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei of the hypothalamus, anterior cortical amygdaloid nucleus, the reticular part of the substantia nigra, lateral habenula, mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus. Purkinje cell layer of the cerebellum, facial nucleus, prepositus hypoglossal nucleus, and dorsal cochlear nucleus. The pattern of @entity10277 hybridization and the morphology of @entity10277 mRNA containing cells suggest that this gap junction forming protein is found predominantly in astrocytes. @entity39858 mRNA was detected in discrete cell groups of the gray matter that appeared to be neurons, including cells in layer 2 of the neocortex, layer II of the piriform cortex, pyramidal cell layer of the hippocampus, granule and polymorphic cell layers of the dentate gyrus, islands of Calleja, olfactory tubercle, lateral thalamic nuclei, lateral habenula, and Purkinje cell layer of the cerebellar cortex. A large population of cells in white matter tracts that were labelled with the @entity39858 riboprobe appeared to be oligodendrocytes. These studies suggest that neurons and glial cells express @entity39858 mRNA, but only astrocytes express @entity10277 mRNA. Many of the areas in which connexin mRNAs were demonstrated have electrically coupled cells, morphologically distinct gap junction plaques, and/or have immunocytochemically identifiable connexin proteins. These results indicate that cells with mRNAs coding for intercellular channels have a widespread distribution in the @entity1 CNS.

Distribution of mRNAs coding for liver and heart gap junction proteins in the XXXX central nervous system.

@entity35 :: ('10116', 'Species') :: ['rat'] @entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['mammalian'] @entity10277 :: ('24392(Tax:10116)', 'Gene') :: ['connexin43'] @entity39858 :: ('29584(Tax:10116)', 'Gene') :: ['connexin32', 'Connexin32']
@entity35 :: (10116,Species) :: ['rat']
