Glycine transporters and synaptic function.

IUBMB Life

Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain.

Published: December 2008

AI Article Synopsis

  • Glycine acts as an inhibitory neurotransmitter primarily in the brain's caudal regions but also plays a role in excitatory neurotransmission as a co-agonist of NMDA receptors.
  • The levels of glycine in synapses are regulated by two types of transporters, GLYT1 and GLYT2, which are distributed differently in the nervous system.
  • Recent research, including the creation of specific inhibitors and genetically modified mice, has advanced our understanding of these transporters and their functions, which could lead to new drug developments for conditions like psychosis or pain relief.

Article Abstract

Glycine is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that is mainly active in the caudal areas of the CNS. However, glycine also participates in excitatory neurotransmission since it is a co-agonist of the NMDA subtype of glutamate receptors. The concentration of glycine at synapses is mainly controlled by two sodium and chloride dependent transporters, GLYT1 and GLYT2, proteins that display a complementary distribution and activity in the nervous system. Our understanding of the physiological role of these transporters has advanced recently, thanks to the development of specific inhibitors and the generation of mice defective in the corresponding genes. In addition, the three-dimensional resolution of the structure of a bacterial homologue has shed light on the mechanisms of glycine transport. It is likely that this knowledge will prove to be useful for the development of drugs with antipsychotic, procognitive or analgesic properties.

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http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/iub.128DOI Listing

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