Expression of ATP - sensitive Potassium Channel Kir6.1 and SUR2 Subunits in Microglia： Involvement in the Regulation of Microglial Activation

AIM ： To investigate whether ATP-sensitive potassium （ KATP） channels are expressed in rat primary cultured microglia and whether the opening of KATP channels in microglia exerts effects on microglial activation and the release of proinflammatory factors from microglia. METHODS： Rat primary microglial cells were separated from astrocytes by shaking off for 5 h at 100 rpm, and the enriched microglia were 〉 98% pure as determined by OX-42 -IR and GFAPIR. The expression of mRNA and proteins for KATP channel subunits were determined by RT-PCR, Western-blot analyses and immunocytochemical detection.