Glutamate receptor

Glutamate receptors (pronounced: glu-ta-mate re-cep-tors) are synaptic and non-synaptic receptors located primarily on the membranes of neuronal cells. They are responsible for the glutamate-mediated postsynaptic excitation of neural cells, and are important for neural communication, memory formation, learning, and regulation.

Etymology

The term "glutamate receptor" is derived from its binding molecule, glutamate, which is one of the most abundant naturally occurring amino acids. The word "receptor" comes from the Latin word 'recipere', meaning 'to receive', referring to the function of these proteins in receiving signals.

Types of Glutamate Receptors

There are two main types of glutamate receptors:

1. Ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs): These are ligand-gated ion channels that allow ions to pass through when activated by glutamate. They are further divided into three types: NMDA receptors, AMPA receptors, and kainate receptors.

2. Metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs): These are G protein-coupled receptors that activate intracellular signal transduction pathways in response to glutamate binding.

Function

Glutamate receptors play a key role in the central nervous system's excitatory synaptic transmission. They are involved in a variety of neural functions, including long-term potentiation, which is a persistent strengthening of synapses based on recent patterns of activity. This process is believed to be a key mechanism underlying learning and memory.

Related Terms

External links

Medical encyclopedia article on Glutamate receptor
Wikipedia's article - Glutamate receptor

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Glutamate receptor