Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 14, 2026
10:34
An In-vitro Preparation of Isolated Enteric Neurons and Glia from the Myenteric Plexus of the Adult Mouse
Published on: August 7, 2013
Glutamate in the enteric nervous system
1Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY 11203, USA. akirchgessner@netmail.hscbklyn.edu
Current Opinion in Pharmacology
|January 5, 2002
Summary
Glutamate influences gut motility, but its receptors remain unclear. Recent studies reveal functional group I metabotropic glutamate receptors in the enteric nervous system, offering new drug targets for gut function.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology and Neuroscience
- Neuropharmacology of the Enteric Nervous System
Background:
- Glutamate is implicated in regulating gastrointestinal motility and secretion.
- The specific receptor subtypes mediating glutamate's effects in the gut are not fully elucidated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of glutamate receptor subtypes in the enteric nervous system.
- To explore potential new therapeutic targets for modulating gut function.
Main Methods:
- Pharmacological characterization of enteric glutamate receptor subtypes.
- Investigation of functional group I metabotropic glutamate receptors in the enteric nervous system.
Main Results:
- Evidence suggests the presence of functional group I metabotropic glutamate receptors in the enteric nervous system.
- These receptors appear to play a role in enteric reflexes.
Conclusions:
- The discovery of functional group I metabotropic glutamate receptors in the enteric nervous system expands our understanding of glutamate's role in gut function.
- These findings present novel targets for pharmacological intervention in gastrointestinal disorders.
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