Linked Life Data

11368950

Source:http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/id/11368950

Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
1-2
pubmed:dateCreated
2001-5-22
pubmed:abstractText
Astrocytic gap junctions have been implicated in a variety of signaling pathways essential to normal brain function. However, no information exists on the prevalence of gap junction channels and their function in the aging brain. Here we have compared the expression of the two most abundant astrocytic gap junction proteins in young and senescent brains and quantified the extent of functional gap junction coupling. The expression level of Cx43 peaked in 7-month-old mice. The relative numbers of Cx43 immunoreactive plaques were 596+/-61, 734+/-62, and 755+/-114 in 3-, 7-, and 21-month-old mice, whereas plaques size averaged 0.9+/-0.1 microm(2) (3 months), 1.3+/-0.1 microm(2) (7 months), and 0.7+/-0.1 microm(2) (21 months). The expression level of Cx30 was also highest in 7-month-old animals (315+/-49 plaques, size 0.8+/-0.07 microm(2) vs. 585+/-51 plaques, size 0.9+/-0.1 microm(2) in 3- and 7-month-old mice, respectively), but only 262+/-63 plaques (size 0.4+/-0.04 microm(2)) in 21-month-old mice. Western blot analysis revealed that the content of both Cx43 and Cx30 remained relatively constant at 3, 7, and 21 months. The fluorescence recovery of photobleach technique (FRAP) was used to evaluate coupling in freshly prepared hippocampal slices. Gap junction coupling did not change significantly as a function of aging, but a tendency towards reduced coupling was observed as the animals aged. Average fluorescence recovery after 2 min was 63+/-6% in younger animals, 59+/-5% in adult animals, and 54+/-4% in old brain. These observations indicate that although astrocytic gap junction proteins are maintained at high levels through the entire lifespan of mice, aging is associated with changes in the number and size of both Cx30 and Cx43 gap junction plaques.
pubmed:grant
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
May
pubmed:issn
0006-8993
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:day
18
pubmed:volume
901
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
55-61
pubmed:dateRevised
2007-11-14
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2001
pubmed:articleTitle
Expression and function of astrocytic gap junctions in aging.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, and Pathology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY 10595, USA.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S., Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't