Behavioral Neuroscience, lecture on Sensory input for Rhythmicity
BIOLOGICAL RHYTHMS
III. Glutamate
A. Glu formed from NH2 and a-ketoglutarate (from glucose via Kreb's cycle)
1. universal cellular constituent
incorporated into the proteins of all cells
2. a-ketoglutarate transaminase
a. catabolism reverse
b. glutamate is the immediate substrate for GABA
B. Receptors
1. AMPA (a-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-proprionic acid) and
KA (kainate)
a. Glu-gated (opens) Nai+/Cai++/Ko+ channels = ionotropic
i. membrane depolarization by increased Na+ conductance
b. mediate fast, brief, intense excitatory synaptic transmission
i. Glu and Aspartate (Asp)called excitatory amino acids
c. composed of transmembranal protein subunits
AMPA: GluR1, GluR2/3, GluR4
KA: GluR5, GluR6, GluR7, KA1, KA2
2. NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate)
a. Glu-gated (opens) Cai++/Nai+/Ko+ channels
b. made of 5 subunits: NR1 + NR2A-D
c. requires release of Mg++ binding in the channel
d. facilitated by AMPA or KA depolarization
i. AMPA-R cluster near NMDA-R
ii. Ý intracellular Na+ ® Ý NMDA channel activity
iii. NMDA receptor channels without AMPA or KA are silent
(1) silent synapses
(2) AMPA may be trafficked in and out of synapses
iv. postsynaptic density proteins link receptors
(1) PSD95, GKAP, Shank
3. ionotropic receptor family bind multiple ligands
a. NMDA binds Glu, Gly, Zn++ & polyamines extracellularly
i. Mg++ & PCP in channel
ii. steroids near lipid bilayer
iii. Na+ intracellularly
4. AMPA/NMDA play a pivotal role in synaptic plasticity, learning,
long-term potentiation (LTP), long-term depression (LTD)
and developmental plasticity
5. metabotropic (mGlu-R1-8)
ACPD (trans-1-aminocyclopentane-1,3- dicarbyoxylate)
a. slow synaptic responses
i. affect synaptic transmission and synaptic placticity
(1) D threshold Vm for action potential
b. pre- or post-synaptic
i. may be autoreceptors
c. mGlu-R1 & mGlu-R5 activate Gp ® PLC ® DG/IP3 ® Ca++
d. mGlu-R2 & mGlu-R3: Gi ®x AC ®cAMP
e. mGlu-R4, mGlu-R6, mGlu-R7 & mGlu-R8: Gi ®x AC ®cAMP
C. Reuptake by Na+ coupled neuronal (GTn) and glial (GTg) transporters
1. both kinds of cells take up Glu to terminate signal and recycle
a. protect cells from excitotoxic damage
2. Glu taken up by glia converted to glutamine (Gln) then
transported back to the neuron
a. Gln synthase
b. mitochondrial glutaminase converts Gln ® Glu
D. More glutamate/aspartate cells than all other cells in the vertebrate NS combined
1. 10-100 billion
a. transmitter for the numerous granule cells of the cerebellum
2. retina to retinal ganglia to SCN (via RHT)
a. Retinal ganglia Melanopsin + cryptochromes stimulate action
potential and release of Glu and PACAP
3. also cortical input to the hippocampus, striatum, and olfactory cortex
a. hippocampus ® VTA
4. gray matter of the spinal cord
5. Invertebrates also use Glu as a major transmitter
a. Evolutionarily ancient function
i. e.g. sensory neurons are Glutamatergic