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Updated: Mar 31, 2026

Profiling Voltage-gated Potassium Channel mRNA Expression in Nigral Neurons using Single-cell RT-PCR Techniques
Published on: September 27, 2011
An update on transcriptional and post-translational regulation of brain voltage-gated sodium channels
Donatus O Onwuli1, Pedro Beltran-Alvarez2
1School of Biological, Biomedical and Environmental Sciences, University of Hull, Hardy Building Cottingham Road, Hull, HU6 7RX, UK.
Abstract:
Voltage-gated sodium channels are essential proteins in brain physiology, as they generate the sodium currents that initiate neuronal action potentials. Voltage-gated sodium channels expression, localisation and function are regulated by a range of transcriptional and post-translational mechanisms. Here, we review our understanding of regulation of brain voltage-gated sodium channels, in particular SCN1A (NaV1.1), SCN2A (NaV1.2), SCN3A (NaV1.3) and SCN8A (NaV1.6), by transcription factors, by alternative splicing, and by post-translational modifications. Our focus is strongly centred on recent research lines, and newly generated knowledge.
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