Developmental expression of voltage-gated potassium channel β subunits

Martha Downen, Stanley Belkowski, Heather Knowles, Marina Cardillo, Michael B. Prystowsky

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

13 Scopus citations

Abstract

Expression of potassium channel beta subunits (Kvβ) was determined in the developing mouse CNS using an antiserum against an amino acid sequence present in the C-terminus of Kvβ1, Kvβ2, and Kvβ3. Using the anti-Kvβ antiserum, we determined that Kvβ expression is restricted to the spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia in the embryonic CNS. At birth, Kvβ expression is detected in brainstem and midbrain nuclei, but was not detected in the hippocampus, cerebellum or cerebral cortex. During the first postnatal week, Kvβ expression is present in hippocampal and cortical pyramidal cells and in cerebellar Purkinje cells. Expression of Kvβ subunits reaches adult levels by the third postnatal week in all of the brain regions examined. A rabbit antiserum directed against a unique peptide sequence in the N-terminus of the Kvβ1 protein demonstrates that this subunit displays a novel expression pattern in the developing mouse brain. Kvβ1 expression is high at birth in all brain regions examined and decreases with age. In contrast, Kvβ2 expression is low at birth and increases with age to reach adult levels by the third postnatal week. These findings support the notion that the differential regulation of distinct potassium channel beta subunits, in the developing mouse nervous system, may confer the functional diversity required to mediate both neuronal survival and maturation. Copyright (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)71-80
Number of pages10
JournalDevelopmental Brain Research
Volume117
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 20 1999

Keywords

  • Auxiliary subunits
  • Ion channels
  • Kvβ1
  • Kvβ2
  • Mouse
  • Potassium channels

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Developmental Neuroscience
  • Developmental Biology

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