Journal of Molecular Imaging & Dynamics
Open Access
ISSN: 2155-9937
ISSN: 2155-9937
Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, USA
Editorial
Kainate receptors: Molecular Physiology
Author(s): Kobayashi Masato*
In the mammalian nervous system, glutamate is primarily involved in fast excitatory neurotransmission. Despite the fact that the importance of this amino acid for brain function has been constantly emphasised, there is no way to exaggerate it. On the one hand, glutamate functions as transmitter at most excitatory synapses and is implicated in the production of long-term changes in neurotransmission efficacy, which are assumed to be neuronal correlates of memory formation. Glutamate, on the other hand, plays an important role in the nervous system's development, assisting in the extension of processes, the production and deletion of synapses, and the activity-dependent fine tuning of finely precise patterns of connection in various brain locations. Finally, changes in glutamatergic neurotransmission have been linked to neuronal injury following ischemia and hypoglycaemia, as well a.. View More»