CDK5 is a cdc2-related protein kinase that is known to be highly expressed in mature brain. In this study, we obtained a mouse CDK5 cDNA by screening an adult mouse cDNA library. Northern blot analysis demonstrated that the mouse CDK5 mRNA was expressed especially highly in brain, and moderately in kidney, testis and ovary. In brain the expression of CDK5 is already seen at embryonal 12.5 days (E12.5), and it gradually increases through the embryonal stage. After birth, the expression is maintained at a high level to adulthood. In situ hybridization demonstrated that the expression of CDK5 mRNA was distributed in neurons throughout the brain, spinal cord and peripheral ganglia, especially in the hippocampal pyramidal cells, cerebellar Purkinje cells, cortical neurons, olfactory mitral cells, mesencephalic and motor trigeminal nuclei and trigeminal ganglion. In any portion, no apparent expression was observed in glia. During development, the expression of CDK5 was already seen at E12.5 intensely in trigeminal and dorsal root ganglia, and moderately and diffusely in the central nervous system. The expression pattern of CDK5 is quite in contrast with that of CDC2. The fact that CDK5 is expressed in terminally differentiated non-dividing neurons predicts an alternative function(s) in addition to controlling the cell cycle.