title: Expression profile of AMPA receptor subunit mRNA in single adult rat brain and spinal cord neurons in situ.
abstract: The differential expression of AMPA receptor subunit mRNA was analyzed in the adult rat brain and spinal cord using quantitative RT-PCR with laser capture microdissection. The expression of all four AMPA receptor subunits was demonstrable, with the mRNA expression level for GluR2 being the highest in all the brain areas and neuronal subsets examined. Both the absolute expression level of GluR2 mRNA and its expression relative to the other subunits were the lowest in motoneurons. The unique AMPA receptor expression profile of motoneurons may render them selectively vulnerable to AMPA receptor-mediated excitotoxicity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Yukio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawahara
authors.forename: Kyoko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Ichiro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kanazawa
authors.forename: Shin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kwak
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology*; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism*; D021122:Protein Subunits / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D018091:Receptors, AMPA / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D021122:Protein Subunits; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018091:Receptors, AMPA