RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Developmental regulation of nicotinic ACh receptor subunit mRNAs in the rat central and peripheral nervous systems
JF The Journal of Neuroscience
JO J. Neurosci.
FD Society for Neuroscience
SP 1912
OP 1939
DO 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.15-03-01912.1995
VO 15
IS 3
A1 M Zoli
A1 N Le Novere
A1 JA Hill, Jr
A1 JP Changeux
YR 1995
UL http://www.jneurosci.org/content/15/3/1912.abstract
AB In the present study we have investigated the anatomical distribution pattern of nAChR alpha 3, alpha 4, beta 2, and beta 4 subunit mRNAs during prenatal and perinatal development of the rat CNS and PNS. Three main developmental patterns have been recognized. (1) In the majority of cases studied (caudal brain, spinal cord, dorsal root ganglia, trigeminal and geniculate ganglia) all four subunit mRNAs are initially (E11–13) detected but, during subsequent prenatal development, the level of some of these subunit mRNAs (alpha 3 and beta 4 in the brain and spinal cord, alpha 4 and beta 4 in the dorsal root ganglia, alpha 4 in the visceral sensory ganglia, and alpha 3, alpha 4, and beta 4 in the somatic sensory ganglia) become undetectable. (2) In the case of the cerebral cortex a pair of subunit mRNAs (alpha 3-beta 2) is initially (E12–13) expressed followed by a repression of the alpha 3 subunit (E15) and the subsequent (E17–19) induction of the alpha 4 subunit. (3) Only some subunit mRNAs are initially (E13–15) expressed in the retina (alpha 3-alpha 4-beta 2-beta 4), parasympathetic or sympathetic motor ganglia (alpha 3-beta 2-beta 4), and vestibulo- cochlear ganglia (alpha 4-beta 2) and their level remains stable throughout prenatal and early postnatal development. Overall, in most central and peripheral structures the appearance of nAChR subunit mRNAs is precocious and temporally related to the timing of neuronal differentiation. In addition, in several structures the expression of certain subunits (alpha 3, alpha 4 or beta 4) is transient, although not beta 2. Finally, the comparison of the different regional distribution patterns suggests that a limited number of structure- specific receptor isoforms are functional during development of CNS and PNS.