Immunohistochemical study on the distribution of the type I and type II voltage-gated sodium channels in the gerbil cerebellum

Abstract

In this study, we investigated the distribution of the type I and type II Na + channels in the gerbil cerebellum by immunohistochemistry. Strong uniform staining for type I was observed in the granular layer, whereas there was little evidence of concentrated labeling in the cell bodies and processes of Purkinje cells. The most intense staining for type II was observed in the cell bodies and dendrites of Purkinje cells, with a strong signal in the molecular layer. This localization study has shown clearly that the type I and type II Na + channel subunits have differential distribution in the gerbil cerebellum, for the first time. The present study may provide useful data for the future investigations to understand the roles of voltage-gated sodium channels in neurological pathways.