Brain endothelial gap junction coupling enables rapid vasodilation propagation during neurovascular coupling.

ABSTRACT: To meet the brain's moment-to-moment energy demand, neural activation rapidly increases local blood flow. This process, known as neurovascular coupling, involves rapid, coordinated vasodilation of the brain's arterial network. Here, we demonstrate that endothelial gap junction coupling enables long-range propagation of vasodilation signals through the vasculature during neurovascular coupling. The molecular composition of these gap junctions is zonated along the arterio-venous axis, with arteries being the most strongly coupled segment. Using optogenetics and visual stimuli in awake mice, we found that acute, arterial endothelial cell type-specific deletion of Cx37 and Cx40 abolishes arterial gap junction coupling and results in impaired vasodilation. Specifically, we demonstrated that art

SUBMITTER: Krolak T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12337775 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature