Abstract. We have characterized cDNAs coding for three Na,K-ATPase tx subunit isoforms from the rat, a species resistant to ouabain. Northern blot and Sl-nuclease mapping analyses revealed that these a subunit mRNAs are expressed in a tissue-specific and developmentally regulated fashion. The mRNA for the al isoform, --~-4.5 kb long, is expressed in all fetal and adult rat tissues examined. The a2 mRNA, also ---4.5 kb long, is expressed predominantly in brain and fetal heart. The ix3 cDNA detected two mRNA species: a ---4.5 kb mRNA present in most tissues and a ---6 kb mRNA, found only in fetal brain, adult brain, heart, and skeletal muscle. The deduced amino acid sequences of these isoforms are highly conserved. However, significant differences in codon usage and patterns of genomic DNA hybridization indicate that the a subunits are encoded by a multigene family. Structural analysis of the a subunits from rat and other species predicts a polytopic protein with seven membranespanning regions. Isoform diversity of the a subunit may provide a biochemical basis for Na,K-ATPase functional diversity.