Study On MRNA Expression Of Cloned Potassium Channels And Association With Brain Function

Ion channels are kinds of functional proteins located on various cell membranes, which is an important message pathway between cell and cell. They play important roles in maintaining cell physiological function and mechanism of many diseases. Among these ion channels, voltage-sensitive K~+ channels are proteins intrinsic to the plasmA membranes of excitable cells and are fundamental components in the control of neuronal excitability. Within neurons, these channels underlie the determination of the resting potential, the shaping of the action potential, the modulation of transmitter release, and the regulation of rhythmic firing patterns, thus regulation of potassium channel activity is of major physiological and pathological importance. The present study was designed to further clarify the potassium channel gene expression and the relationship with brain function by using different experimental methods (such as physiology, molecular biology, behavior pharmacology, cell culture and whole-cell patch clamp). The main results obtained are as follows:1. mRNA expression of several potassium channel subunits atdifferent developmental stages (1) Expression of Kv4.2 cloned potassium channel at different developmentalstages of rat brain.By using RNase protection assay (RPA) we quantitatively analyzed RNA...