A novel, abundant sodium channel expressed in neurons and glia

• Published in: The Journal of neuroscience Vol. 15; no. 5; pp. 3231 - 3242
• Main Authors: Schaller, KL, Krzemien, DM, Yarowsky, PJ, Krueger, BK, Caldwell, JH
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Soc Neuroscience 01.05.1995; Society for Neuroscience
• Subjects: Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Base Sequence; Blotting, Northern; Brain - cytology; Brain - metabolism; DNA, Complementary; Gene Library; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein - analysis; In Situ Hybridization; Molecular Sequence Data; Neuroglia - cytology; Neuroglia - metabolism; Neurons - cytology; Neurons - metabolism; Oligonucleotide Probes; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Protein Structure, Secondary; Rats; RNA, Messenger - analysis; RNA, Messenger - biosynthesis; Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; Sodium Channels - biosynthesis; Sodium Channels - chemistry
• ISSN: 0270-6474; 1529-2401
• DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.15-05-03231.1995

A novel, voltage-gated sodium channel cDNA, designated NaCh6, has been isolated from the rat central and peripheral nervous systems. RNase protection assays showed that NaCh6 is highly expressed in the brain, and NaCh6 mRNA is as abundant or more abundant than the mRNAs for previously identified rat brain sodium channels. In situ hybridization demonstrated that a wide variety of neurons express NaCh6, including motor neurons in the brainstem and spinal cord, cerebellar granule cells, and pyramidal and granule cells of the hippocampus. RT-PCR and/or in situ hybridization showed that astrocytes and Schwann cells express NaCh6. Thus, this sodium channel is broadly distributed throughout the nervous system and is shown to be expressed in both neurons and glial cells.