Premium
Endogenous d ‐Serine in Rat Brain: N ‐Methyl‐ d ‐Aspartate Receptor‐Related Distribution and Aging
Author(s) -
Hashimoto Atsushi,
Nishikawa Toru,
Oka Takae,
Takahashi Kiyohisa
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
journal of neurochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.75
H-Index - 229
eISSN - 1471-4159
pISSN - 0022-3042
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-4159.1993.tb03219.x
Subject(s) - nmda receptor , serine , glycine , endogeny , receptor , strychnine , glycine receptor , excitatory postsynaptic potential , amino acid , biology , biochemistry , neuroscience , chemistry , phosphorylation
Abstract: Recently, a substantial amount of free d ‐serine has been demonstrated in rat brain, although it has long been presumed that d ‐amino acids are uncommon in mammals. The anatomical distribution and age‐related changes in endogenous d ‐serine have been examined here to obtain insight into its physiological functions. Free d ‐serine exclusively occurs in brains, with a persistent high content from birth to at least 86 postnatal weeks. The patterns of the regional variations and the postnatal changes in brain d ‐serine are closely correlated with those of the N ‐methyl‐ d ‐aspartate (NMDA)‐type excitatory amino acid receptor. Because d ‐serine potentiates NMDA receptor‐mediated transmission by selective stimulation of the strychnine‐insensitive glycine site of the NMDA receptor, it is proposed that d ‐serine is a novel candidate as an intrinsic ligand for the glycine site in mammalian brain.