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Glutamate and the presynaptic control of spinal sensory transmission
James E Huettner1, Geoffrey A Kerchner, Min Zhuo
1Department of Cell Biology & Physiology, Washington University Pain Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri 63110, USA. huettner@cellbio.wustl.edu
Abstract:
Sensory neurons, in particular the small- and medium-diameter cells that sense painful stimuli, express both ionotropic and metabotropic glutamate receptors, which may regulate transmission between sensory neurons and their targets in the spinal cord dorsal horn. Although the roles that these receptors play in normal physiology are not completely understood, recent work has provided strong evidence for their ability to modulate transmitter release from primary afferent terminals.