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Excitatory amino acid transporters: keeping up with glutamate
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Excitatory amino acid transporters: keeping up with glutamate

Susan G Amara and Andreia C K Fontana
Neurochemistry international, v 41(5), pp 313-318
Nov 2002
PMID: 12176072

Abstract

Animals Arachidonic Acid - metabolism Carrier Proteins - physiology Excitatory Amino Acids - physiology Glutamic Acid - physiology Humans Ion Channels - physiology Structure-Activity Relationship Synaptic Transmission - physiology
Excitatory amino acid transporters (EAATs) are the primary regulators of extracellular glutamate concentrations in the central nervous system. Among the five known human EAAT subtypes, the glial carriers, EAAT1 and EAAT2 have the greatest impact on clearance of glutamate released during neurotransmission. Studies of carriers expressed on neurons, Purkinje cells and photoreceptor cells (EAAT3, EAAT4 and EAAT5, respectively) suggest more subtle roles for these subtypes in regulating excitability and signalling. The data suggest that EAA transporters may influence glutamatergic transmission by regulating the amount of glutamate available to activate pre- and post-synaptic metabotropic receptors and by altering neuronal excitability through a transporter-associated anion conductance that is activated by carrier substrates. Recent studies on structural, mechanistic and physiological aspects of carrier function in a variety of model systems and organisms have led to surprising insights into how excitatory amino acid transporters shape cellular communication in the nervous system.

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Neurosciences
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