P2X receptors are ion channels gated by extracellular ATP. We report here cloning of a P2X 2 receptor splice variant (P2X2_2) carrying a 207 bp deletion in the intracellular Cterminus and the analysis of the corresponding genomic structure of the P2X 2 gene. P2X 2 _2 is as highly expressed as the original P2X 2 sequence in various tissues. ATP-activated currents mediated by heterologous expressed P2X 2 or P2X2_ 2 receptors showed significant differences in desensitization time constants and steady-state currents in the continuous presence of ATP. These results imply functional differences between cells differentially expressing these P2X 2 isoforms.

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