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Updated: Aug 1, 2026

Deriving the Time Course of Glutamate Clearance with a Deconvolution Analysis of Astrocytic Transporter Currents
Published on: August 7, 2013
The structure of glutamate transporters shows channel-like features
D J Slotboom1, W N Konings, J S Lolkema
1Department of Microbiology, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Kerklaan 30, 9751 NN, Haren, The Netherlands.
Abstract:
Neuronal and glial glutamate transporters remove the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate from the synaptic cleft and thus prevent neurotoxicity. The proteins belong to a large family of secondary transporters, which includes transporters from a variety of bacterial, archaeal and eukaryotic organisms. The transporters consist of eight membrane-spanning alpha-helices and two pore-loop structures, which are unique among secondary transporters but may resemble pore-loops found in ion channels. Another distinctive structural feature is the presence of a highly amphipathic membrane-spanning alpha-helix that provides a hydrophilic path through the membrane. The unusual structural features of the transporters are discussed in relation to their function.
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