Functional contributions of electrical synapses in sensory and motor networks.

Intercellular interactions in the nervous system are mediated by two types of dedicated structural arrangements: electrical and chemical synapses. Several characteristics distinguish these two mechanisms of communication, such as speed, reliability and the fact that electrical synapses are, potentially, bidirectional. Given these properties, electrical synapses can subserve, in addition to synchrony, three main interrelated network functions: signal amplification, noise reduction and/or coincidence detection. Specific network motifs in sensory and motor systems of invertebrates and vertebrates illustrate how signal transmission through electrical junctions contributes to a complex processing of information.

• Publication year

  2016

• Venue

  Current Opinion in Neurobiology

• Publication date

  2016-12-01

• Fields of study

  Biology, Medicine, Computer Science

• Identifiers
  DOI 10.1016/j.conb.2016.08.005PMID 27649466
• External record

  Open on Semantic Scholar

• Source metadata

  Semantic Scholar, PubMed

• No claims are published for this paper.

• No concepts are published for this paper.

• Nonlinear Spatiotemporal Integration by Electrical and Chemical Synapses in the Retina.

  2016cited by this paper
• Motor neurons control locomotor circuit function retrogradely via gap junctions

  2016cited by this paper
• Hexadecameric structure of an invertebrate gap junction channel.

  2016cited by this paper
• Graded boosting of synaptic signals by low-threshold voltage-activated calcium conductance.

  2015cited by this paper
• C. elegans locomotion: small circuits, complex functions.

  2015cited by this paper
• Functional Circuitry of the Retina.

  2015cited by this paper
• Variation in motor output and motor performance in a centrally generated motor pattern.

  2014cited by this paper
• Recurrent inhibition in motor systems, a comparative analysis.

  2014cited by this paper
• Gap junctions in C. elegans

  2014cited by this paper
• Electrical synapses and their functional interactions with chemical synapses

  2014cited by this paper
• Parallel pathways convey olfactory information with opposite polarities in Drosophila

  2014cited by this paper
• Electrical coupling and innexin expression in the stomatogastric ganglion of the crab Cancer borealis.

  2014cited by this paper
• Early olfactory processing in Drosophila: mechanisms and principles.

  2013cited by this paper
• Molecular and functional asymmetry at a vertebrate electrical synapse.

  2013cited by this paper
• Transformation of visual signals by inhibitory interneurons in retinal circuits.

  2013cited by this paper
• Equalization of odor representations by a network of electrically coupled inhibitory interneurons

  2013cited by this paper
• Neuronal gap junctions: making and breaking connections during development and injury.

  2013cited by this paper
• Rectifying Electrical Synapses Can Affect the Influence of Synaptic Modulation on Output Pattern Robustness

  2013cited by this paper
• Synergy between Electrical Coupling and Membrane Properties Promotes Strong Synchronization of Neurons of the Mesencephalic Trigeminal Nucleus

  2012cited by this paper
• The medicinal leech genome encodes 21 innexin genes: different combinations are expressed by identified central neurons

  2012cited by this paper
• Gap Junctions Compensate for Sublinear Dendritic Integration in an Inhibitory Network

  2012cited by this paper
• Effect of a nonspiking neuron on motor patterns of the leech.

  2012cited by this paper
• Neurobiology of the crustacean swimmeret system.

  2012cited by this paper
• An Imbalancing Act: Gap Junctions Reduce the Backward Motor Circuit Activity to Bias C. elegans for Forward Locomotion

  2011cited by this paper
• Different roles for homologous interneurons in species exhibiting similar rhythmic behaviors.

  2011cited by this paper
• Contribution of motoneuron intrinsic properties to fictive motor pattern generation.

  2011cited by this paper
• Lateral Facilitation between Primary Mechanosensory Neurons Controls Nose Touch Perception in C. elegans

  2011cited by this paper
• Gap Junction Expression Is Required for Normal Chemical Synapse Formation

  2010cited by this paper
• Electrical coupling between olfactory glomeruli.

  2010cited by this paper
• Functional connectivity and selective odor responses of excitatory local interneurons in Drosophila antennal lobe.

  2010cited by this paper
• Rapid Desynchronization of an Electrically Coupled Interneuron Network with Sparse Excitatory Synaptic Input

  2010cited by this paper
• The diverse functional roles and regulation of neuronal gap junctions in the retina

  2009cited by this paper
• Different receptive fields in axons and dendrites underlie robust coding in motion-sensitive neurons

  2009cited by this paper
• Premotor nonspiking neurons regulate coupling among motoneurons that innervate overlapping muscle fiber population

  2009cited by this paper
• Molecular Mechanism of Rectification at Identified Electrical Synapses in the Drosophila Giant Fiber System

  2008cited by this paper
• In situ characterization of a rectifying electrical junction.

  2007cited by this paper
• Robust coding of flow-field parameters by axo-axonal gap junctions between fly visual interneurons

  2007cited by this paper
• Signal transmission between gap-junctionally coupled passive cables is most effective at an optimal diameter.

  2006cited by this paper
• Gap Junctions among Dendrites of Cortical GABAergic Neurons Establish a Dense and Widespread Intercolumnar Network

  2006cited by this paper
• Innexins in the lobster stomatogastric nervous system: cloning, phylogenetic analysis, developmental changes and expression within adult identified dye and electrically coupled neurons

  2006cited by this paper
• Lateral Excitation within the Olfactory Bulb

  2006cited by this paper
• Sharing Receptive Fields with Your Neighbors: Tuning the Vertical System Cells to Wide Field Motion

  2005cited by this paper
• Sequential Development of Electrical and Chemical Synaptic Connections Generates a Specific Behavioral Circuit in the Leech

  2005cited by this paper
• Connexin36 mediates spike synchrony in olfactory bulb glomeruli.

  2005cited by this paper
• A dye mixture (Neurobiotin and Alexa 488) reveals extensive dye-coupling among neurons in leeches; physiology confirms the connections

  2005cited by this paper
• Central pattern generator for swimming in Melibe

  2005cited by this paper
• Intercellular communication: the Drosophila innexin multiprotein family of gap junction proteins.

  2005cited by this paper
• A cable model for coupled neurons with somatic gap junctions

  2005cited by this paper
• Functional properties of electrical synapses between inhibitory interneurons of neocortical layer 4.

  2005cited by this paper
• The Retrograde Spread of Synaptic Potentials and Recruitment of Presynaptic Inputs

  2005cited by this paper
• Organization of the stomatogastric ganglion of the spiny lobster

  2004cited by this paper
• Neural mechanism underlying complex receptive field properties of motion-sensitive interneurons

  2004cited by this paper
• Voltage-Dependent Enhancement of Electrical Coupling by a Subthreshold Sodium Current

  2004cited by this paper
• Gap junction channel gating.

  2004cited by this paper
• Sequence and Phylogenetic Analyses of 4 TMS Junctional Proteins of Animals: Connexins, Innexins, Claudins and Occludins

  2003cited by this paper
• Differential dye coupling reveals lateral giant escape circuit in crayfish

  2003cited by this paper
• Coactivation of Motoneurons Regulated by a Network Combining Electrical and Chemical Synapses

  2003cited by this paper
• Sophisticated spinal contributions to motor control.

  2003cited by this paper
• Gap junctions in Drosophila: developmental expression of the entire innexin gene family.

  2002cited by this paper
• Phase-locked coordination between two rhythmically active feeding structures in the mollusk Clione limacina. I. Motor neurons.

  2002cited by this paper
• Gap junctions and motor behavior.

  2002cited by this paper
• Electrical coupling between mammalian cones.

  2002cited by this paper
• Gap junctions: structure and function (Review)

  2002cited by this paper
• A Lateral Excitatory Network in the Escape Circuit of Crayfish

  2002cited by this paper
• Structural and Functional Diversity of Connexin Genes in the Mouse and Human Genome

  2002cited by this paper
• Emerging issues of connexin channels: biophysics fills the gap

  2001cited by this paper
• Innexins get into the gap

  2001cited by this paper
• Spread of synaptic potentials through electrical synapses in Retzius neurones of the leech.

  2001cited by this paper
• Electrical Coupling and Excitatory Synaptic Transmission between Rhythmogenic Respiratory Neurons in the PreBötzinger Complex

  2000cited by this paper
• New perspectives on spinal motor systems

  2000cited by this paper
• A network of fast-spiking cells in the neocortex connected by electrical synapses

  1999cited by this paper
• GABAergic Excitatory Synapses and Electrical Coupling Sustain Prolonged Discharges in the Prey Capture Neural Network of Clione limacina

  1999cited by this paper
• Molecular Determinants of Electrical Rectification of Single Channel Conductance in Gap Junctions Formed by Connexins 26 and 32

  1999cited by this paper
• Electrotonic Coupling Interacts with Intrinsic Properties to Generate Synchronized Activity in Cerebellar Networks of Inhibitory Interneurons

  1999cited by this paper
• Synaptic transmission: noisy synapses and noisy neurons.

  1996cited by this paper
• Retrograde synaptic communication via gap junctions coupling auditory afferents to the Mauthner cell

  1995cited by this paper
• Serotonergic stretch receptors induce plateau properties in a crustacean motor neuron by a dual-conductance mechanism.

  1992cited by this paper
• Rhythmogenic effects of weak electrotonic coupling in neuronal models.

  1992cited by this paper
• Neuromodulation of vertebrate motor neuron membrane properties.

  1992cited by this paper
• Neuronal control of leech swimming movements

  1989cited by this paper
• Central Synaptic Coupling of Walking Leg Motor Neurones in the Crayfish: Implications for Sensorimotor Integration

  1988cited by this paper
• Voltage‐clamp analysis of a crayfish rectifying synapse.

  1987cited by this paper
• Full-wave rectification from a mixed electrical-chemical synapse.

  1987cited by this paper
• Organization of electrical coupling between frog lumbar motoneurons.

  1983cited by this paper
• The relation between intercellular coupling and electrical noise in turtle photoreceptors.

  1976cited by this paper
• Organization of the stomatogastric ganglion of the spiny lobster

  1974cited by this paper
• Neuronal control of swimming in the medicinal leech

  1974cited by this paper

• Junctional conductance of retinal AII amacrine cell electrical synapses is decreased by NMDA receptors

  2026cites this paper
• Exploring the Connection Between BDNF/TrkB and AC/cAMP/PKA/CREB Signaling Pathways: Potential for Neuroprotection and Therapeutic Targets for Neurological Disorders

  2025cites this paper
• Brain connectivity and transcriptional changes induced by rTMS in first-episode major depressive disorder

  2025influential citation
• Electrical Synapse Rectification Enables Dual-Network Activity in the crab Cancer borealis

  2024cites this paper
• Coordinated electrical and chemical signaling between two neurons orchestrates switching of motor states

  2023cites this paper
• Single-Cell Technologies: Advances in Single-Cell Migration and Multi-Omics

  2022cites this paper
• Neuronal Switching between Single- and Dual-Network Activity via Modulation of Intrinsic Membrane Properties

  2021cites this paper
• Circumventing Neural Damage in a C. elegans Chemosensory Circuit Using Genetically Engineered Synapses.

  2021cites this paper
• Behavioral control by depolarized and hyperpolarized states of an integrating neuron by

  2021cites this paper
• Plants have neither synapses nor a nervous system.

  2021cites this paper
• Inserting new synaptic connections into damaged neural circuits: towards synapse therapy?

  2021cites this paper
• Behavioral control by depolarized and hyperpolarized states of an integrating neuron

  2021cites this paper
• Repairing neural damage in a C. elegans chemosensory circuit using genetically engineered synapses

  2020cites this paper
• Descending pathway facilitates undulatory wave propagation in Caenorhabditis elegans through gap junctions

  2018cites this paper
• The interplay between electrical and chemical synaptogenesis

  2018cites this paper
• Benefits of aflibercept treatment for age-related macular degeneration patients with good best-corrected visual acuity at baseline

  2018cites this paper
• Synchrony and so much more: Diverse roles for electrical synapses in neural circuits

  2017cites this paper
• A descending pathway through electrical coupling facilitates undulatory wave propagation in C. elegans

  2017cites this paper
• TITLE: Synchrony and So Much More: Diverse Roles for Electrical Synapses in Neural Circuits RUNNING TITLE: Diverse Roles for Electrical Synapses

  2017cites this paper
• Reduced insulin signaling maintains electrical transmission in a neural circuit in aging flies

  2017cites this paper
• A descending pathway facilitates undulatory wave propagation in Caenorhabditis elegans through gap junctions

  2017cites this paper