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Updated: May 26, 2026

High-Resolution Quantitative Immunogold Analysis of Membrane Receptors at Retinal Ribbon Synapses
Published on: February 18, 2016
[Structure and function of NMDA-type glutamate receptor subunits]
M E Flores-Soto1, V Chaparro-Huerta, M Escoto-Delgadillo
1Laboratorio de Neurobiología Celular y Molecular, División de Neurociencias, CIBO, IMSS, México. mario.flores@hotmail.es
Introduction:
To review the physiology of the glutamate receptor subunits such as N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA).
Development:
Glutamic acid (Glu) is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system which interacts with two types classified into two types: metabotropic and ionotropic. Ionotropic receptors are classified according to the affinity of their specific agonists: N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), α-amino acid-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole (AMPA) and kainic acid (KA). NMDA receptors are macromolecular structures that are formed by different combinations of subunits, NMDAR1 (NR1), NMDAR2 (NR2) and NMDAR3 (NR3)
Conclusions:
The study of this receptor has been of great interest due to its role in synaptic plasticity, but mainly due to the permeability it has to Ca(++) ion. This review examines the molecular composition of NMDA receptor and the variants of NR1 subunit edition in association with NR2 subunit dimer, the main form of this receptor. The composition, structure and function and their distinct expression patterns in both time and space, has shown the versatility and diversity of functionally different isoforms of the NR1 subunit and various pharmacological properties of the NR2 subunit.
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