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Free keywords:
AMPA receptors − Long−term potentiation − RNA editing − Spatial working and reference memory − Stargazin
Abstract:
The alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) (AMPA) receptors are the principal molecular units for fast excitatory synaptic transmission in the central nervous system. The glutamate−mediated transmission efficiency of synaptic AMPA receptors is influenced by their subunit composition (GluR−A to GluR−D), post−transcriptional and post−translational modifications, the number of synaptic AMPA receptors, and auxiliary proteins. Functional AMPA receptors are located predominantly in the post−synapse but are also found at extra−synaptic sites and occasionally in the pre−synapse. Thus, many factors influence the tasks of AMPA receptors in neuronal signal transmission. At hippocampal synaptic connections, AMPA receptor functions have been well studied in vitro and in the mouse; however, it is unlikely that these observations can be generalized to all glutamatergic synapses in the brain
