Authors: Helle Wulf Anders HaySchmidt Asser Nyander Poulsen Dan Arne Klaerke Jes Olesen Inger JansenOlesen
Publish Date: 2008/10/25
Volume: 334, Issue: 3, Pages: 359-369
Abstract
Large conductance calciumactivated potassium channels BKca are crucial for the regulation of cerebral vascular basal tone and might be involved in cerebral vasodilation relevant to migraine and stroke We studied the differential gene expression of mRNA transcript levels and protein expression of the BKCa channel in rat basilar middle cerebral and middle meningeal arteries by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction RTPCR quantitative realtime PCR and Western blotting Distribution patterns were investigated using in situ hybridization and immunofluorescence studies RTPCR and quantitative realtime PCR detected the expression of the BKCa channel mRNA transcript in rat basilar middle cerebral and middle meningeal arteries with the transcript being expressed more abundantly in rat basilar arteries than in middle cerebral and middle meningeal arteries Western blotting detected the BKCa channel protein in rat basilar and middle cerebral arteries In situ hybridization and immunofluorescence studies confirmed that the BKCa channel mRNA and protein expression was localized to smooth muscle cells in all three intracranial arteries The data thus suggest the presence and localization of both mRNA and protein expression of the BKCa channel in the smooth muscle cell layer in rat basilar middle cerebral and middle meningeal arteriesThis study was supported by the Lundbeck Foundation as part of the Lundbeck Foundation Center for Neurovascular Signalling LUCENS Danish Research Council Region of Copenhagen Kong Christian den tiende Foundation Aase og Ejnar Danielsens Foundation Foundation of 17121981 Illum Foundation Augustinus Foundation Lippmann Foundation Foundation of lægevidenskabens Fremme Brødrene Hartmanns Foundation Dansk Horton Hovedpineforenings legat Harboefoundation Familien Hede Nielsens Foundation and ToyataFonden Denmark
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