Linked Life Data

12555202

Source:http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/id/12555202

Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
4
pubmed:dateCreated
2003-1-29
pubmed:abstractText
Transient intracellular [Ca(2+)] increases in astrocytes from influx and/or release from internal stores can release glutamate and thereby modulate synaptic transmission in adjacent neurons. Electrophysiological studies have shown that cultured astrocytes express voltage-dependent Ca(2+) channels but their molecular identities have remained unexplored. We therefore performed RT-PCR analysis with primers directed to different voltage-gated Ca(2+) channel alpha(1) subunits. In primary cultures of astrocytes, we detected mRNA transcripts for the alpha(1B) (N-type), alpha(1C) (L-type), alpha(1D) (L-type), alpha(1E) (R-type), and alpha(1G) (T-type), but not alpha(1A) (P/Q-type), voltage-gated Ca(2+) channels. We then used antibodies against all of the Ca(2+) channel subunits to confirm protein expression, via Western blots, and localization by means of immunocytochemistry. In Western blot analysis, we observed immunoreactive bands corresponding to the appropriate alpha(1) subunit proteins. Western blots showed an expression pattern similar to PCR results in that we detected proteins for the alpha(1B) (N-type), alpha(1C) (L-type), alpha(1D) (L-type), alpha(1E) (R-type), and alpha(1G) (T-type), but not alpha(1A) (P/Q-type). Using immunocytochemistry, we observed Ca(2+) channel expression for these subunits in punctate clusters on plasma membrane of GFAP-expressing astrocytes. These results confirm that cultured astrocytes express corresponding proteins to several high- and low-threshold Ca(2+) channels but not alpha(1A) (P/Q-type). Overall, our data indicate that astrocytes express multiple types of voltage-gated Ca(2+) channels, hinting at a complex regulation of Ca(2+) homeostasis in glial cells.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Mar
pubmed:issn
0894-1491
pubmed:author
pubmed:copyrightInfo
Copyright 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
41
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
347-53
pubmed:dateRevised
2006-11-15
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2003
pubmed:articleTitle
Expression of voltage-gated Ca2+ channel subtypes in cultured astrocytes.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't