PUBLICATION
Identification of calcium channel alpha1 subunit mRNA expressed in retinal bipolar neurons
- Authors
- Logiudice, L., Henry, D., and Matthews, G.
- ID
- ZDB-PUB-060403-6
- Date
- 2006
- Source
- Molecular Vision 12: 184-189 (Journal)
- Registered Authors
- Keywords
- none
- MeSH Terms
-
- Amino Acid Sequence
- Animals
- Calcium Channels/genetics*
- Cloning, Molecular
- Goldfish
- RNA, Messenger/metabolism*
- Retina/cytology
- Retina/metabolism*
- Retinal Bipolar Cells/metabolism*
- Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
- PubMed
- 16568031
Citation
Logiudice, L., Henry, D., and Matthews, G. (2006) Identification of calcium channel alpha1 subunit mRNA expressed in retinal bipolar neurons. Molecular Vision. 12:184-189.
Abstract
PURPOSE: Glutamate release from goldfish bipolar cell terminals is driven by Ca2+ influx through L-type calcium channels that exhibit several uncommon features, including rapid kinetics of activation and deactivation, slow inactivation, and activation at an unusually negative voltage range for L-type channels. The purpose of this study was to establish the molecular identities of the alpha1 subunits responsible for these distinctive properties. METHODS: Transcripts for calcium channel alpha1 subunits expressed in individual goldfish ON-type bipolar cells were identified using single-cell reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). After cloning the goldfish homologs of the zebrafish and mammalian subunits, we designed sets of nested primers that are specific for Cav1.3a, and Cav1.3b L-type calcium channels. RESULTS: Large-terminal, ON-type bipolar cells express transcripts of Cav1.3a and/or Cav1.3b. CONCLUSIONS: The endogenous expression of only one or both subunits in a single cell raises the possibility of functionally distinct classes of bipolar cells that differ in calcium current properties.
Genes / Markers
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping