Connexin-dependent signaling in neuro-hormonal systems

The advent of multicellular organisms was accompanied by the development of short- and long-range chemical signalling systems, including those provided by the nervous and endocrine systems. In turn, the cells of these two systems have developed mechanisms for interacting with both adjacent and distant cells. With evolution, such mechanisms have diversified to become integrated in a complex regulatory network, whereby individual endocrine and neuro-endocrine cells sense the state of activity of their neighbors and, accordingly, regulate their own level of functioning. A consistent feature of this network is the expression of connexin-made channels between the (neuro)hormone-producing cells of all endocrine glands and secretory regions of the central nervous system so far investigated in vertebrates. This review summarizes the distribution of connexins in the mammalian (neuro)endocrine systems, and what we know about the participation of these proteins on hormone secretion, the life of the producing cells, and the action of (neuro)hormones on specific targets. The data gathered since the last reviews on the topic are summarized, with particular emphasis on the roles of Cx36 in the function of the insulin-producing beta cells of the endocrine pancreas, and of Cx40 in that of the renin-producing juxta-glomerular epithelioid cells of the kidney cortex. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: The Communicating junctions, composition, structure and characteristics.     

Ultramicroscopy: three-dimensional visualization of neuronal networks in the whole mouse brain

Visualizing entire neuronal networks for analysis in the intact brain has been impossible up to now. Techniques like computer tomography or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) do not yield cellular resolution, and mechanical slicing procedures are insufficient to achieve high-resolution reconstructions in three dimensions. Here we present an approach that allows imaging of whole fixed mouse brains. We modified 'ultramicroscopy' by combining it with a special procedure to clear tissue. We show that this new technique allows optical sectioning of fixed mouse brains with cellular resolution and can be used to detect single GFP-labeled neurons in excised mouse hippocampi. We obtained three-dimensional (3D) images of dendritic trees and spines of populations of CA1 neurons in isolated hippocampi. Also in fruit flies and in mouse embryos, we were able to visualize details of the anatomy by imaging autofluorescence. Our method is ideally suited for high-throughput phenotype screening of transgenic mice and thus will benefit the investigation of disease models.     

Spatiotemporal transcriptomic atlas of mouse organogenesis using DNA nanoball-patterned arrays

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Transcriptomic atlas and interaction networks of brain cells in mouse CNS demyelination and remyelination

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Motifs in brain networks

Complex brains have evolved a highly efficient network architecture whose structural connectivity is capable of generating a large repertoire of functional states. We detect characteristic network building blocks (structural and functional motifs) in neuroanatomical data sets and identify a small set of structural motifs that occur in significantly increased numbers. Our analysis suggests the hypothesis that brain networks maximize both the number and the diversity of functional motifs, while the repertoire of structural motifs remains small. Using functional motif number as a cost function in an optimization algorithm, we obtain network topologies that resemble real brain networks across a broad spectrum of structural measures, including small-world attributes. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that highly evolved neural architectures are organized to maximize functional repertoires and to support highly efficient integration of information.     

Polarity of isolated blastomeres from mouse morulae: detection of transcellular ion currents

Eight- to sixteen-cell stage mouse morulae were dissociated with Ca2+-free medium into blastomeres that were labeled with fluoresceinated-succinylated Con A (FS-Con A) to mark their apical-basal axes. The vibrating probe was then used to map their extracellular current patterns. The average current density around normal blastomeres approached the resolution of the probe system (0.2 microA/cm2) and was undetectable in the majority of blastomeres. Since the current density at the measuring point outside the cell is known to increase with cell size in other systems, enlarged blastomeres were created by fusing together blastomeres of 4-cell stage embryos in 45% polyethylene glycol. Enlarged blastomeres were then aggregated with normal blastomeres using phytohemagglutinin and cultured to the 8- to 16-cell stage to allow them to become polarized. Such aggregates were then dissociated with Ca2+-free medium to recover polarized, enlarged blastomeres. The enlarged blastomeres were 30-65 microns in diameter and 70% of them generated a detectable current; currents were detected around 83% of those blastomeres larger than 40 micron in diameter. The current pattern in these most reliable cases was predominantly inward apical (11/16 or 69%) and outward basal (15/16 or 94%), with lateral currents about three-fold smaller in amplitude than these apical-basal currents. Lateral currents were undetectable in 53% of the cases. Preliminary data suggest that the inward current is carried in part by Na+ influx and is independent of the Na+,K+-ATPase over the short term. Transcellular ion currents were detectable as long as 4 hr after dissociation, and the apical-basal current pattern was usually stable during that time. In contrast, the fluorescent cap of FS-Con A faded within 7-30 min at 35 degrees C but remained stable in 0.1% azide or 1.5 micrograms/ml cytochalasin D. The electrical polarity therefore persisted after the apical cap of Con A fluorescence was no longer visible. We propose that these transcellular ion currents may be involved in the establishment of blastomere polarity and describe a mechanism of action in an "ion current polarization" hypothesis.     

Gene correlation networks reveal the transcriptomic response to elevated nitrogen in a photosynthetic sponge

Nutrient levels in coastal environments have been increasing globally due to elevated inputs of sewage and terrigenous sediments carrying fertilizers. Yet, despite their immense filtering capacities, marine sponges appear to be less affected by elevated nutrients than sympatric benthic organisms, such as corals. While the molecular‐level stress response of sponges to elevated seawater temperatures and other toxicants has been defined, this study represents the first global gene expression analysis of how sponges respond to elevated nitrogen. Gene correlation network analysis revealed that sponge gene modules, coded by colours, became either highly upregulated (Blue) or downregulated (Turquoise, Black, Brown) as nitrogen treatment levels increased. Gene Ontology enrichment analysis of the different modules revealed genes involved in cell signalling, immune response and flagella motility were affected by increasing nitrogen levels. Notably, a decrease in the regulation of NF‐kappaB signalling and an increase in protein degradation was identified, which is comparable to metabolic pathways associated with the sponge thermal stress response. These results highlight that Cymbastela stipitata can rapidly respond to changes in the external environment and identifies pathways that probably contribute to the ability of C. stipitata to tolerate short‐term nutrient pulses.     

Connexin-dependent inter-cellular communication increases invasion and dissemination of Shigella in epithelial cells

Shigella flexneri, the causative agent of bacillar dystentery, invades the colonic mucosa where it elicits an intense inflammatory reaction responsible for destruction of the epithelium. During cell invasion, contact with host cells activates the type-III secretion of the Shigella IpaB and IpaC proteins. IpaB and IpaC are inserted into host cell plasma membranes and trigger initial signals that result in actin polymerization, while allowing cytosolic access of other bacterial effectors that further reorganize the cytoskeleton. After internalization, Shigella moves intracellularly and forms protrusions that infect neighbouring cells, promoting bacterial dissemination across the epithelium. Here, we show that during cell invasion, Shigella induces transient peaks in intracellular calcium concentration that are dependent on a functional type-III secretory apparatus. In addition, Shigella invasion induces the opening of Connexin 26 (Cx26) hemichannels in an actin- and phospholipase-C-dependent manner, allowing release of ATP into the medium. The released ATP, in turn, increases bacterial invasion and spreading, as well as calcium signalling induced by Shigella. These results provide evidence that pathogen-induced opening of connexin channels promotes signalling events that favour bacterial invasion and dissemination.     

Comparative brain transcriptomic analyses of scouting across distinct behavioural and ecological contexts in honeybees

Individual differences in behaviour are often consistent across time and contexts, but it is not clear whether such consistency is reflected at the molecular level. We explored this issue by studying scouting in honeybees in two different behavioural and ecological contexts: finding new sources of floral food resources and finding a new nest site. Brain gene expression profiles in food-source and nest-site scouts showed a significant overlap, despite large expression differences associated with the two different contexts. Class prediction and ‘leave-one-out’ cross-validation analyses revealed that a bee''s role as a scout in either context could be predicted with 92.5% success using 89 genes at minimum. We also found that genes related to four neurotransmitter systems were part of a shared brain molecular signature in both types of scouts, and the two types of scouts were more similar for genes related to glutamate and GABA than catecholamine or acetylcholine signalling. These results indicate that consistent behavioural tendencies across different ecological contexts involve a mixture of similarities and differences in brain gene expression.