Pase is a fundamental component of ion transport. Four ␣ isoforms of the Na-K-ATPase catalytic ␣ subunit are expressed in human cells. The ubiquitous Na-K-ATPase ␣1 was recently discovered to also mediate signal transduction through Src kinase. In contrast, ␣2 expression is limited to a few cell types including myocytes, where it is coupled to the Na ϩ /Ca 2ϩ exchanger. To test whether rat Na-KATPase ␣2 is capable of cellular signaling like its ␣1 counterpart in a recipient mammalian system, we used an ␣1 knockdown pig renal epithelial cell (PY-17) to create an ␣2-expressing cell line with no detectable level of ␣1 expression. These cells exhibited normal ouabain-sensitive ATPase, but failed to effectively regulate Src. In contrast to ␣1-expressing cells, ouabain did not stimulate Src kinase or downstream effectors such as ERK and Akt in ␣2 cells, although their signaling apparatus was intact as evidenced by EGF-mediated signal transduction. Additionally, ␣2 cells were unable to rescue caveolin-1. Unlike the NaKtide sequence derived from Na-K-ATPase ␣1, which downregulates basal Src activity, the corresponding ␣2 NaKtide was unable to inhibit Src in vitro. Finally, coimmunoprecipitation of cellular Src was diminished in ␣2 cells. These findings indicate that Na-K-ATPase ␣2 does not regulate Src and, therefore, may not serve the same role in signal transduction as ␣1. This further implies that the signaling mechanism of Na-K-ATPase is isoform specific, thereby supporting a model where ␣1 and ␣2 isoforms play distinct roles in mediating contraction and signaling in myocytes.rat Na-K-ATPase isoforms; Src tyrosine kinase; membrane transporters; ouabain; signal transduction THE NA-K-ATPASE, discovered in 1957 by Jens Skou, is a member of the P-type ATPase family and an integral membrane protein maintaining cellular ion homeostasis by pumping Na ϩ and K ϩ across the cell membrane (32). The protein consists of two noncovalently linked subunits, ␣ and . The ␣-subunit contains the binding sites for substrates (e.g., ions and ATP) and ligands (e.g., ouabain) as it undergoes E1 and E2 conformational changes during a transport cycle. Four isoforms of the Na-K-ATPase ␣-subunit are expressed in humans. While ␣1 is expressed ubiquitously, ␣2 and ␣3 are primarily found in myocytes and neurons, respectively, and ␣4 is detected in sperm (3,4,31,45,50). Recent studies have revealed major differences in the physiological functions of each isoform. For example, the ␣2 isoform appears to possess the unique ability to regulate intracellular Ca 2ϩ levels in myocytes and coresides with the Na ϩ /Ca 2ϩ exchanger (5, 24). In addition, recent experiments using SWAP mice (ouabainsensitive ␣1 Na-K-ATPase mutant and ouabain-resistant ␣2 Na-K-ATPase mutant) suggest that the ␣2 isoform plays a more prominent role in calcium release in cardiac and smooth muscle myocytes than ␣1 (12).Over the last decade, we have also come to realize that the Na-K-ATPase may have many regulatory functions other than pumping ions across cell membranes. Studies fr...