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Flip and flop variants of AMPA receptor subunits in the human cerebellum: Implication for the selective vulnerability of purkinje cells
Author(s) -
Tomiyama Masahiko,
Palacios José M.,
Cortés, Roser,
Mengod Guadalupe
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
synapse
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.809
H-Index - 106
eISSN - 1098-2396
pISSN - 0887-4476
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1098-2396(199902)31:2<163::aid-syn10>3.0.co;2-h
Subject(s) - ampa receptor , cerebellum , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , purkinje cell , glutamate receptor , neuroscience , hippocampal formation , granule (geology) , receptor , genetics , paleontology
Abstract We investigated the distribution of messenger RNAs coding for flip and flop splice variants of AMPA receptor subunits in the human cerebellum to determine the relevance of AMPA receptors in the selective vulnerability of Purkinje cells to ischemia. Purkinje cells more abundantly expressed transcripts for flip variant of GluR‐A, GluR‐C, and GluR‐D than granule cells, whereas transcripts for flop variants and GluR‐B flip were expressed at similar levels on Purkinje cells and granule cells. These results suggest that human Purkinje cells possess AMPA receptors of the slowly desensitizing class as compared to granule cells. This differential distribution may explain the selective vulnerability of Purkinje cells. Synapse 31:163–167, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.