Glutamate and its Receptors Flashcards
List the four criteria for NT status.
Must be made by neurons.
Must be released by presynaptic neurons.
Must activate postsynaptic receptors.
Must be inactivated by enzymes or reuptake.
How does glutamate meet the NT criteria?
Concentrated in synaptic vesicles.
Released by exocytosis.
Binds to a large family of glutamate receptors.
Reuptake across membrane by EAA1-4 family of transporters.
Has functional effects.
How does glutamate bind to many different receptors?
It is a flexible molecule because different components can rotate along two different axes: alpha-beta bonds and beta-gamma bonds.
How many different conformations/rotamers can glutamate adopt?
9
How is glutamate selective between receptors?
Glutamate released is localised to the PSD. Receptors are anchored opposite the release sites, and have different affinities for glutamate.
What does NMDAR require to open?
Glutamate binding.
Depolarisation (to relieve Mg2+ block).
Glycine as a co-agonist.
What are the two roles of postsynaptic mGluRs?
Produce slow depolarisation.
Release calcium from intracellular stores.
What are the two roles of presynaptic mGluRs?
Inhibit AP-evoked glutamate release.
Increase background glutamate release.
What is the role of neuroligin?
Links pre- and postsynaptic cells.
What is the PDZ?
Where additional AMPARs are inserted during LTP.