Tsugunobu Andoh (1), Chihiro Tohda (2) and Yasushi Kuraishi (1,*)
(1) Department of Applied Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical
Sciences and (2) Analytical Research Center for Ethnomedicines, Research
Institute for Wakan-yaku, Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University,
2630 Sugitani, Toyama 930-01, Japan
(*) To whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract: We have developed a simple and semi-quantitative method for mRNA determination in single cells using the reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The distinct features of this method are the highly efficient RNA harvest from whole dissociated cells and the ability to perform all RT procedures in one tube that allowed semi-quantitative determination of mRNA in dissociated cells. This method revealed that histamine H1-receptor mRNA was highly expressed in 5/28 small and 1/26 large dorsal root ganglion neurons of the mouse.
Keywords: Histamine H1-receptor mRNA, Single whole-cell PCR, Primary sensory neuron