Electroreceptors: involvement of excitatory amino acids in synaptic transmission

Electroreceptors are present in the skin of fish, amphibia and lower mammals, e.g. platypus. Animals use these receptors for detecting weak electric and magnetic fields. Electroreceptors of fish and amphibia belong to the secondary receptors in which the primary transduction is carried out by neuroepithelial hair cells that transmit synaptically to the afferent nerve fibers. The role of excitatory amino acids in synaptic transmission in electroreceptors is the subject of this review.