Application of TaqMan RT-PCR for Real-Time Semiquantitative Analysis of Gene Expression in the Striatum

TaqMan reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (TaqMan RT-PCR) is a recently developed technique (1 ) that has been used to study gene expression in tissues of the central nervous system (CNS) including the striatum. For example, TaqMan has been used to profile mRNA distribution patterns across the brain for γ-aminobutyric acid-_B (GABA_B ) receptor subunits (2 ), 5-hydroxytryptamine₄ (5-HT₄ ) receptor splice variants (3 ), novel G-protein-coupled receptors (4 ), and ion channels including vanilloid receptors (5 ) and two pore potassium channels (6 ). More specifically, TaqMan RT-PCR studies have demonstrated a huge enrichment of dopamine D₂ (7 ) and D₃ (8 ) receptors in human striatal tissues compared to other brain regions. In addition, the technique has been utilized for the analysis of gene expression changes in animal models of CNS diseases including Parkinsons’s disease (9 ), stroke (10 ), and migraine (7 ).