Abundant L-type calcium channel Ca(v)1.3 (alpha1D) subunit mRNA is detected in rod photoreceptors of the mouse retina via in situ hybridization.

Mutations in the CACNA1F gene encoding the L-type calcium channel pore-forming Ca(v)1.4 (alpha1F) subunit in humans result in an incomplete form of congenital stationary night blindness (CSNB2) with residual photoreceptor function. It has been postulated that this residual function, at least in part, may be mediated by another L-type calcium channel subunit, Ca(v)1.3 (alpha1D), expressed within cone photoreceptors. However, the expression of the calcium channel Ca(v)1.3 (alpha1D) subunit within photoreceptors remains debatable due to discrepancies among the immunohistochemical studies reported in the literature. In order to get around the innate complications of utilizing unproven antibodies and to shed light on this discussion, we investigated the mRNA expression profile for the Ca(v)1.3 (alpha1D) subunit in the mouse retina.

Pubmed ID: 17563731 RIS Download