In subcortical brain parenchyma, Cx26-positive puncta were often co-localized with astrocytic Cx43, and some were localized along astrocyte cell bodies and processes immunolabelled for glial fibrillary acidic
protein. Cx26-positive puncta were also co-localized with punctate labelling of Cx47 around selleck compound oligodendrocyte somata. Comparisons of Cx26 labelling in rodent species revealed a lower density of Cx26-positive puncta and a more restricted distribution in subcortical regions of mouse compared with rat brain, perhaps partly explaining reported difficulties in detection of Cx26 in mouse brain parenchyma using antibodies or Cx26 gene reporters. These results support our earlier observations of Cx26 expression in astrocytes learn more and its ultrastructural localization in individual
gap junction plaques formed between astrocytes as well as in heterotypic gap junctions between astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. “
“Ghrelin is an orexigenic hormone produced by the stomach. Ghrelin, however, may also be a modulator of the circadian system given that ghrelin receptors are expressed in the master clock, the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and several outputs of this region. To investigate this, we performed analyses of running wheel activity and neuronal activation in wild type (WT) and growth hormone secretagogue receptor-knockout (GHSR-KO) mice under various lighting conditions. GHSR-KO and WT mice were maintained under constant dark (DD) or constant light (LL) with ad libitum access to food before being placed
on a schedule of temporally restricted access to food (4 h/day) for 2 weeks. There were no differences between KO and WT mice in free-running period under DD, but GHSR-KO mice required more days to develop a high level of food anticipatory activity, and this was lower than that observed in WT mice. Under LL, GHSR-KO mice showed greater activity overall, lengthening of their circadian period, and more resistance to the disorganisational click here effects of LL. Furthermore, GHSR-KO mice showed greater activity overall, and greater activity in anticipation of a scheduled meal under LL. These behavioral effects were not correlated with changes in the circadian expression of the Fos, Per1 or Per2 proteins under any lighting conditions. These results suggest that the ghrelin receptor plays a role in modulating the activity of the circadian system under normal conditions and under restricted feeding schedules, but does so through mechanisms that remain to be determined. The circadian system controls daily rhythms of rest and activity, hormones, and motivated behaviors like feeding. Light is the primary synchroniser of the master circadian clock, the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) (Reppert & Weaver, 2002). However, feeding also synchronises circadian rhythms (Stephan, 2002).