Structurally defined signaling in neuro-glia units in the enteric nervous system.

ABSTRACT: Coordination of gastrointestinal function relies on joint efforts of enteric neurons and glia, whose crosstalk is vital for the integration of their activity. To investigate the signaling mechanisms and to delineate the spatial aspects of enteric neuron-to-glia communication within enteric ganglia we developed a method to stimulate single enteric neurons while monitoring the activity of neighboring enteric glial cells. We combined cytosolic calcium uncaging of individual enteric neurons with calcium imaging of enteric glial cells expressing a genetically encoded calcium indicator and demonstrate that enteric neurons signal to enteric glial cells through pannexins using paracrine purinergic pathways. Sparse labeling of enteric neurons and high-resolution analysis of the structural relation

SUBMITTER: Boesmans W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6593736 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature