Expression of mRNA for Gs alpha and Gi2 alpha in primary cultured mouse cerebral cortical neurons

Developmental changes of mRNAs for alpha-subunits of GTP binding protein (G-protein) such as Gs alpha and Gi2 alpha during neuronal development were examined in both primary cultured cerebral cortical neurons and cerebral cortices obtained from age-matched mice. The expression of mRNAs for both G-protein alpha-subunits in primary cultured neurons showed a development pattern similar to that in the cerebral cortex in vivo. Both mRNAs were expressed at an early stage of neuronal development, and the expression patterns of mRNA for both G-protein alpha-subunits were found to be only slightly changed during development. These results suggest that the G-protein appears at an early stage of neuronal development and may play an important role therein.