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Published on: September 9, 2020
Aspartate release and signalling in the hippocampus
1Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA. nadle002@acpub.duke.edu
Neurochemical Research
|October 19, 2010
Summary
Aspartate, a potential neurotransmitter, is released from brain cells and activates NMDA receptors. Its precise role in neuronal function, from development to excitotoxicity, is still under investigation.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Neurochemistry
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Aspartate release from hippocampal preparations has been known for 35 years, but its functional significance remains unclear.
- Aspartate exhibits characteristics of a central nervous system (CNS) transmitter, including synthesis, vesicular storage, calcium-dependent release, and NMDA receptor activation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the potential roles of aspartate as a co-transmitter in the CNS.
- To elucidate the mechanisms and neurobiological functions of aspartate release in both immature and mature neurons.
Main Methods:
- Investigating aspartate's synthesis, storage in synaptic vesicles, and release via exocytosis.
- Examining aspartate's interaction with NMDA receptors, specifically extrasynaptic NR1-NR2B subtypes.
- Analyzing the influence of glucose concentration on vesicular aspartate content and transport by sialin.
Main Results:
- Aspartate may function as a neuropeptide-like co-transmitter alongside glutamate or GABA.
- Specific mechanisms involve sialin-mediated vesicular transport and glucose-sensitive vesicular content.
- Aspartate selectively activates extrasynaptic NR1-NR2B NMDA receptors.
- Potential functions range from activating gene transcription in immature neurons to inhibiting CREB and inducing excitotoxicity in mature neurons.
Conclusions:
- Aspartate's multifaceted roles in neuronal function warrant further investigation.
- Understanding aspartate release mechanisms and receptor interactions is crucial for deciphering its impact on neuronal development, plasticity, and pathology.
- New research approaches are emerging to resolve the functional significance of aspartate signaling in the brain.
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