Aim: Several nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subunits have been engineered as fluorescent protein (FP) fusions and exploited to illuminate features of nAChRs. The aim of this work was to create a FP fusion in the nAChR a.7 subunit without compromising formation of functional receptors.Methods: A gene construct was generated to introduce yellow fluorescent protein (YFP), in frame, into the otherwise unaltered, large, second cytoplamsic loop between the third and fourth transmembrane domains of the mouse nAChR al sub-unit (a7Y). SH-EP1 cells were transfected with mouse nAChR wild type a.7 subunits (a.7) or with a7Y subunits, alone or with the chaperone protein, hRJC-3. Receptor function was assessed using whole-cell current recording. Receptor expression was measured with 125I-labeled a-bungarotoxin (I-Bgt) binding, laser scanning confocal microscopy, and total inteal reflectance fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy.Results: Whole-cell currents revealed that a7Y nAChRs and al nAChRs were functional with comparable EC50 values for the a7 nAChR-selective agonist, choline, and IC50 values for the a.7 nAChR-selective antagonist, methyllycaconitine. I-Bgt binding was detected only after co-expression with hRIC-3. Confocal microscopy revealed that a7Y had primarily intracel-lular rather than surface expression. TIRF microscopy confirmed that little a7Y localized to the plasma membrane, typical of a7 nAChRs.Conclusion: nAChRs composed as homooligomers of a7Y subunits containing cytoplasmic loop YFP have functional, ligand binding, and trafficking characteristics similar to those of a.7 nAChRs. a7Y nAChRs may be used to elucidate properties of a.7 nAChRs and to identify and develop novel probes for these receptors, perhaps in high-throughput fashion.