DISTRIBUTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF G(ALPHA-I-2) MESSENGER-RNA IN THE RAT CEREBRAL-CORTEX INVESTIGATED WITH IN-SITU HYBRIDIZATION AND RNASE PROTECTION ASSAY

The distribution of the G(alpha i-2) mRNA was investigated with in situ hybridization on tissue sections of the rat cerebral cortex. A non-radioactive method based on digoxygenin labelled cRNA was used for in situ hybridization. The G(alpha i-2) mRNA was shown to be present predominantly in large neuronal shaped cells in laminae II-III. The ontogenic development of the expression of G(alpha i-2) mRNA in the rat cerebral cortex was quantified using a solution hybridization RNAse protection assay. The abudnancy of G(alpha i-2) mRNA was shown to increase significantly from embryonic day 16 to adult age. The amount of G(alpha i-2) mRNA in adult cerebral cortex of the rat brain was 23 amol/mu g RNA. The distribution and ontogenic development of G(alpha i-2) mRNA are discussed.