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Encephalopsin (OPN3) protein abundance in the adult mouse brain
- Source :
- Journal of Comparative Physiology. A, Neuroethology, Sensory, Neural, and Behavioral Physiology
- Publication Year :
- 2012
- Publisher :
- Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 2012.
-
Abstract
- Encephalopsin belongs to the family of extraretinal opsins having a putative role in CNS tissue photosensitivity. Encephalopsin mRNA has earlier been localized in rodent brains, but expression and localization of the protein has not yet been reported. In this study, we aimed to define encephalopsin protein abundance and localization in the rodent brain. The distribution and localization of encephalopsin protein in a mouse brain and selected peripheral tissues were analysed in ten mice, using Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. The specificity of immunoreaction was validated by primary antibody omitting and immunizing peptide blocking experiment. We found encephalopsin protein abundant in the mouse brain, but not in the periphery. Encephalopsin protein was present in neurons of the mouse cerebral cortex, paraventricular area, and cerebellar cells. Our results show that encephalopsin is expressed at the protein level in different brain areas of the mouse. Therefore, the suggested idea that encephalopsin plays a role in non-visual photic processes seems to be applicable. Evidently, further investigations are needed to find out the signalling mechanisms, and the potential physiological role of encephalopsin in phototransduction due to the changes in ambient light.
- Subjects :
- Male
Cerebellum
Opsin
Physiology
Hypothalamus
Mice
Behavioral Neuroscience
medicine
Animals
Tissue Distribution
Extraretinal phototransduction
Encephalopsin
Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Mice, Inbred BALB C
Original Paper
Messenger RNA
biology
Circadian entrainment
Rod Opsins
Brain
Cerebral cortex
Cell biology
medicine.anatomical_structure
Rhodopsin
biology.protein
Immunohistochemistry
Animal Science and Zoology
Neuroscience
Visual phototransduction
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 14321351 and 03407594
- Volume :
- 198
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Journal of Comparative Physiology A
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....f7590be811693d529df3f5eb15a721d7