Growing evidence suggests that glial cells express virtually all known types of neurotransmitter recep- tors, enabling them to sense neuronal activity and microen- vironment changes by responding locally via the Ca 2+ -dependent release of bioactive molecules, known as ''gliotransmitters''. Several mechanisms of gliotransmitter release have been documented. One of these mechanisms involves the opening of plasma membrane channels, known as hemichannels. These channels are composed of six pro- tein subunits consisting of connexins or pannexins, two highly conserved protein families encoded by 21 or 3 genes, respectively, in humans. Most data indicate that under phys- iological conditions, glial cell hemichannels have low activ- ity, but this activity is sufficient to ensure the release of relevant quantities of gliotransmitters to the extracellular milieu, including ATP, glutamate, adenosine and glutathi- one. Nevertheless, it has been suggested that dysregula- tions of hemichannel properties could be critical in the beginning and during the maintenance of homeostatic imbalances observed in several brain diseases. In this study, we review the current knowledge on the hemichan- nel-dependent release of gliotransmitters in the physiology and pathophysiology of the CNS. 2014 IBRO. Published

Neuroscience forefront review hemichannels: new pathways for gliotransmitter release

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Neuroscience forefront review hemichannels: new pathways for gliotransmitter release