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Updated: May 27, 2026

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Published on: May 25, 2011
The sodium-driven chloride/bicarbonate exchanger in presynaptic terminals
Alain C Burette1, Richard J Weinberg, Patrick Sassani
1Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA. alain.burette@gmail.com
The sodium-driven chloride/bicarbonate exchanger (NDCBE) is found throughout the adult rat brain, concentrating in presynaptic terminals. This transporter may regulate both glutamatergic and GABAergic neurotransmission.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Molecular Biology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- The sodium-driven chloride/bicarbonate exchanger (NDCBE), part of the SLC4 family, influences hippocampal excitatory neurotransmission.
- Understanding NDCBE's distribution is key to its role in brain function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the expression pattern of NDCBE in the adult rat brain.
- To determine the subcellular localization of NDCBE, particularly its association with synaptic structures.
Main Methods:
- Light and electron microscopic immunohistochemistry were employed.
- Immunohistochemistry was used to visualize NDCBE distribution in presynaptic terminals and its association with synaptic vesicles.
Main Results:
- NDCBE is expressed throughout the adult rat brain.
- NDCBE selectively concentrates in presynaptic terminals and is closely associated with synaptic vesicles.
- NDCBE is present in most glutamatergic axon terminals and also in terminals of parvalbumin-positive GABAergic cells.
Conclusions:
- NDCBE is widely distributed in the adult rat brain, with a specific localization to presynaptic terminals.
- NDCBE has the potential to regulate glutamatergic neurotransmission across the brain.
- NDCBE may also play a role in regulating GABAergic neurotransmission.
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