As the first fully genetically encoded method, PARIS allows cell-specific, long-term, repeated measurements of gap junctional coupling with high spatiotemporal resolution, facilitating its study in both health and disease.
Gap junctions exist in Kenyon cells and Kenyon cell-mushroom body output neuron neural networks, and are also critical in visual learning and memory in Drosophila.
Genetic study of C. elegans neural development reveals the function of glia-neuron gap junctions in neuronal axon specification, and shows that glial cells regulate neuronal intracellular pathways through gap junctions.
Electrophysiological recordings show that cones in the eyes of mice are able to receive strong input from rods via gap junctions, supporting the view that this route plays an important role in vision.
Melanophores and xanthophores interact via heteromeric gap junctions composed of Connexin 41.8 and Connexin 39.4 to establish the adult pigment pattern in zebrafish.
Dopamine is able to ensure that neural networks maintain critical features of their output, such as synchrony of neuron firing, by directly increasing coupling strength to ensure robust output is maintained.
Endothelial YAP/TAZ shape the developing vasculature by orchestrating mechanical inputs with BMP signalling to promote junctional VE-Cadherin turnover and cellular rearrangements.
Spinal Shox2 interneurons are strongly interconnected by gap junctional coupling in a function-specific manner, which provides a mechanism for synchronization of rhythm-generating neurons and may contribute to locomotor rhythmicity.
An unexpected species difference in electrical coupling of analogous neuroendocrine dopamine neurons in rats and mice reveals a role for gap junction connectivity as a band-pass filter for oscillation frequency in neural networks.