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Transporters for L ‐glutamate: An update on their molecular pharmacology and pathological involvement
Author(s) -
Beart P M,
O'Shea R D
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
british journal of pharmacology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.432
H-Index - 211
eISSN - 1476-5381
pISSN - 0007-1188
DOI - 10.1038/sj.bjp.0706949
Subject(s) - amyotrophic lateral sclerosis , neuroscience , glutamate receptor , neurotransmitter , excitatory amino acid transporter , transporter , biology , excitatory postsynaptic potential , disease , microbiology and biotechnology , pharmacology , medicine , receptor , biochemistry , central nervous system , pathology , gene , inhibitory postsynaptic potential
L ‐Glutamate (Glu) is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the mammalian CNS and five types of high‐affinity Glu transporters (EAAT1–5) have been identified. The transporters EAAT1 and EAAT2 in glial cells are responsible for the majority of Glu uptake while neuronal EAATs appear to have specialized roles at particular types of synapses. Dysfunction of EAATs is specifically implicated in the pathology of neurodegenerative conditions such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, epilepsy, Huntington's disease, Alzheimer's disease and ischemic stroke injury, and thus treatments that can modulate EAAT function may prove beneficial in these conditions. Recent advances have been made in our understanding of the regulation of EAATs, including their trafficking, splicing and post‐translational modification. This article summarises some recent developments that improve our understanding of the roles and regulation of EAATs. British Journal of Pharmacology (2007) 150 , 5–17. doi: 10.1038/sj.bjp.0706949