ABSTRACT
The hippocampus is involved in learning and memory of intellectual functions whereas the spinal cord carries sensory impulses from the trunk and limbs to the brain and it returns commands from the brain to the muscles and glands. The relative expression levels of genes in human hippocampus and spinal cord were determined using high-density cDNA-arrays. Validations by semi-quantitative RT-PCR, Northern, and Western analyses show good agreement with cDNA-array results. Those genes differentially expressed in hippocampus encode proteins that are involved either in the neuronal plasticity or learning and memory signaling cascades. Interestingly, those differentially expressed in the spinal cord encode proteins that are associated with the responses to spinal cord injuries. These results also demonstrate the feasibility of comparing a vast number of gene expression profiles between various brain regions for potential targets with respect to abnormal brain functions.
