Abstract
The development of the alpha2 isoform of (Na,K)ATPase which is high affinity ouabain receptors was studied in the differentiating nonfusing muscle cell line BC3H-1. T he differentiation process of BC3H-1 cell line was confirmed by 2-dexy-D-[$^3$H] glucose uptake experiment and the quantity of the expression of ${\alpha}_2$ isoform was measured using a whole cell [$^3$H] ouabain-binding assay. Undifferentiated growing BC3H-1 cells, myoblasts, exhibited low levels of insulin-stimulated glucose uptake and [$^3$H] ouabain-binding sites. In contrast, differentiated BC3H-1 cells, myocytes, had a 5.6-fold increase in insulin-stimulated glucose uptake and 5-fold increase in [$^3$H] ouabain-binding sites. Scatchard analysis showed that myocytes developed more [$^3$H] ouabain-binding sites than myoblasts vath a dissociation constant (kd) of 6${\times}10^{-8}$M and capacity of 6.l${\times}10^{-5}$ sites/cell. Therefore. it seems that myoblasts express low levels of ${\alpha}_2$ subunit and probably the majority of ${\alpha}_1$ subunit, whereas myocytes express high levels of ${\alpha}_2$ isoform. The results indicate that the expression of ${\alpha}_2$ isoform is developmentally regulated during differentiation and that BC3H-1 culture system provides an excellent model for the study of differentiation and mechanism of (Na,K)ATPase action in muscle which requires electrical excitability.