GABA, Glutamate and their receptors Flashcards
what are metabotropic receptors ?
coupled to G protein - open or close ion channels via intermediaries
slower response
transduce signal to the cell interior - indirectly activate ion channels on the plasma membrane through signalling cascade which involved G proteins
what are ionotropic receptors?
ligand gated ion channels
rapid response
depolarise or hyperpolarise the post synaptic cell- depends on receptor type and ionic gradient
what is glutamate ?
most abundant excitatory neurotransmitter in the vertebrae nervous system
what is GABA?
most abundant inhibitory neurotransmitter in the vertebrate nervous system
when glutamate and is present in the synaptic cleft where does it go to be removed ?
enters glial cells or astrocytes or presynaptic terminal
what enzyme converts glutamate to glutamine ?
glutamine synthetase
glutamine can be taken from glial cells into neurons
if too much glutamate is present what can it cause ?
excitotoxicity
it can be highly toxic
a low concentration of glutamate applied to neurons in culture kills the cells
what was discovered in the 1970s about glutamate ?
glutamate given orally produces neurodegeneration in vivo
- this caused considerable alarm because of the widespread use of glutamate as a taste enhancing food additive MSG
what is excitotoxcity associate with ?
activation of NMDA receptors
- results mainly from a sustained rise in intracellular calcium concentration
- there are mechanism that act normally to protect neurones- calcium transport system
what are the glutamate receptors like ?
metabotropic ones - mGluRs 1-8
- slow and modulatory
ionotropic ones
- AMPA, Kainate and NMDA - receptors are named after the agonists that bind to them with high specificity
- fast synaptic transmission
what are the subunits of NMDA receptors ?
NR1
NR2A, B, C and D
NR3A and B
what are the subunits of AMPA receptors?
GluR1
GluR2
GluR3
GluR4
what are the subunits of Kainate receptors ?
GluR5 GluR6 GluR7 KA1 KA2
what are the classes of metabotropic glutamate receptors ?
class1 - mGluR1 and mGluR5 class2- mGluR2 and mGluR3 class 3 - mGluR4, mGluR6, mGluR7 and mGluR8
what effects does activation of class 1 glutamate receptors have ?
stimulates phospholipase c
PIP2 is cleaved into DAG and IP3
they are activated by trans-ACPD and quisqualate