Morphologically mixed chemical-electrical synapses formed by primary afferents in rodent vestibular nuclei as revealed by immunofluorescence detection of connexin36 and vesicular glutamate transporter-1.

ABSTRACT: Axon terminals forming mixed chemical/electrical synapses in the lateral vestibular nucleus of rat were described over 40 years ago. Because gap junctions formed by connexins are the morphological correlate of electrical synapses, and with demonstrations of widespread expression of the gap junction protein connexin36 (Cx36) in neurons, we investigated the distribution and cellular localization of electrical synapses in the adult and developing rodent vestibular nuclear complex, using immunofluorescence detection of Cx36 as a marker for these synapses. In addition, we examined Cx36 localization in relation to that of the nerve terminal marker vesicular glutamate transporter-1 (vglut-1). An abundance of immunolabeling for Cx36 in the form of Cx36-puncta was found in each of the four major ve

SUBMITTER: Nagy JI 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3795837 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature