Electrical transmission: Two structures, same functions?

Electrical synapses are finding increasing representation and importance in our understanding of signaling in the nervous system. In contrast to chemical synapses, at which molecules are evolutionary conserved, vertebrate and invertebrate electrical synapses represent molecularly different structures that share a common communicating strategy that allows them to serve very similar functions. A better understanding of differences and commonalities regarding the structure, function and regulation of vertebrate and invertebrate electrical synapses will lead to a better understanding of the properties and functional diversity of this modality of synaptic communication.