Human neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor compositions and methods employing same

摘要

Isolated nucleic acid molecules, i.e., DNA or RNA encoding human neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor alpha and beta subunits, mammalian and amphibian cells containing said DNA, methods for producing alpha and beta subunits and recombinant (i.e., isolated or substantially pure) alpha subunits and beta subunits are provided. In addition, cells expressing various multimeric combinations of subunits (i.e., alpha₁, alpha₂ alpha₃ alpha₄ alpha₅ alpha₆ and/or alpha₇ in combination with at least one of an alpha and beta subunit are also provided. A recombinant, non-human cell line expressing the human alpha₇ subunit of nAChR is also disclosed.