EXPRESSION OF GLUTAMATE TRANSPORTERS IN CULTURED GLIAL-CELLS

Expression of mRNAs for glutamate transporter (GLT-1) and glutamate as partate transporter (GLAST) was investigated in three different types of purified glial cells by the reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Cultured astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and microgli a expressed mRNAs for GLAST and GLT-1; mRNA for GLAST was expressed mo re prominently than that for GLT-1 in astrocytes. Oligodendrocytes and microglia expressed mRNAs for both GLT-1 and GLAST equally, but the e xpression in microglia was not prominent, suggesting glutamate uptake is not essential in microglia. In astrocytes cultured from different b rain regions, GLAST mRNA was equally expressed. GLT-1 mRNA was also de tected in these astrocytes, but the expression level was lower than th at of GLAST.