Tissue-Specific Expression of Genes Encoding the Rat Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel

Shelley A. Grubman, Sharon S. Cooperman, Mary P. Begley, Joshua L. Weintraub, Richard H. Goodman, Gail Mandel

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

8 Scopus citations

Abstract

This chapter describes the strategy and techniques used to study the expression of the rat sodium channel genes in different excitable tissues. The voltage-gated sodium channel is responsible for the generation of the action potential in nerve and muscle cells. Previous comparative studies of the functional properties of sodium channels have indicated that sodium channels in these two tissue types are very similar. Recent studies have concluded that sodium channels in nerve and muscle differ in significant ways. Investigators have shown that the sodium channels of skeletal muscle differ from the sodium channels in nerve and cardiac muscle in their affinities for the peptide sodium channel blocker, μ-conotoxin. mRNA purified from brain and muscle produces sodium channels that are both functionally and pharmacologically distinguishable in Xenopus oocyte membrane.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)277-288
Number of pages12
JournalCurrent Topics in Membranes and Transport
Volume33
Issue numberC
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1988
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Biology

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