Expression and regulation of kainate and AMPA receptors in uncommitted and committed neural progenitors

Here we review experimental evidence of non-NMDA glutamate receptor expression in the embryonic central nervous system. AMPA- and kainate-preferring glutamate receptor subunit mRNA transcripts are detected in embryonic neurons, glia and neural progenitors. Functional assays demonstrate that in some cell subpopulations ionotropic glutamate receptors are expressed by progenitors before synapse formation and terminal differentiation, and may be present before lineage determination is specified. The activation of these receptors triggers induction of immediate early gene transcription in progenitor cells. The cloning and transcriptional analysis of upstream regulatory regions of glutamate receptor genes governing their temporal and tissue-specific expression are also discussed.