Summary: 327
N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) are present at
many excitatory glutamate synapses in the central nervous
system and display unique properties that depend on their
subunit composition. Biophysical, pharmacological and
molecular methods have been used to determine the key
features conferred by the various NMDAR subunits, and have
helped to establish which NMDAR subtypes are present at
particular synapses. Recent studies are beginning to address
the functional significance of NMDAR diversity under normal
and pathological conditions.
Addresses
Department of Pharmacology, University College London,
Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
*e-mail: s.cull-candy@ucl.ac.uk
Current Opinion in Neurobiology 2001, 11:327­335
0959-4388/01/$ -- see front matter
© 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Abbreviations
EPSC excitatory postsynaptic current

Source: Alford, Simon - Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago

Collections: Biology and Medicine