Albumin is taken up by hippocampal NG2 cells and astrocytes and decreases gap junction coupling.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

  Dysfunction of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and albumin extravasation have been suggested to play a role in the etiology of human epilepsy. In this context, dysfunction of glial cells attracts increasing attention. Our study was aimed to analyze in the hippocampus (1) which cell types internalize albumin injected into the lateral ventricle in vivo, (2) whether internalization into astrocytes impacts their coupling and expression of connexin 43 (Cx43), and (3) whether expression of Kir4.1, the predominating astrocytic K(+) channel subunit, is altered by albumin.

Methods

  The patch-clamp method was combined with single cell tracer filling to investigate electrophysiologic properties and gap junction coupling (GJC). For cell identification, mice with cell type-speci

SUBMITTER: Braganza O 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3651829 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature