Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Vieira, Marta
• Yong, Xuan Ling Hilary
• Roche, Katherine W.
• Anggono, Victor

Titel

Regulation of NMDA glutamate receptor functions by the GluN2 subunits

Ist Teil von

• Journal of neurochemistry, 2020-07, Vol.154 (2), p.121-143

Ort / Verlag

England: Blackwell Publishing Ltd

Erscheinungsjahr

2020

Quelle

MEDLINE

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• The N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate receptors (NMDARs) are ionotropic glutamate receptors that mediate the flux of calcium (Ca2+) into the post‐synaptic compartment. Ca2+ influx subsequently triggers the activation of various intracellular signalling cascades that underpin multiple forms of synaptic plasticity. Functional NMDARs are assembled as heterotetramers composed of two obligatory GluN1 subunits and two GluN2 or GluN3 subunits. Four different GluN2 subunits (GluN2A‐D) are present throughout the central nervous system; however, they are differentially expressed, both developmentally and spatially, in a cell‐ and synapse‐specific manner. Each GluN2 subunit confers NMDARs with distinct ion channel properties and intracellular trafficking pathways. Regulated membrane trafficking of NMDARs is a dynamic process that ultimately determines the number of NMDARs at synapses, and is controlled by subunit‐specific interactions with various intracellular regulatory proteins. Here we review recent progress made towards understanding the molecular mechanisms that regulate the trafficking of GluN2‐containing NMDARs, focusing on the roles of several key synaptic proteins that interact with NMDARs via their carboxyl termini. The N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate glutamate receptors (NMDARs) mediate calcium‐dependent signalling that underpins multiple forms of synaptic plasticity. Different GluN2 (GluN2A‐D) subunits confer NMDARs with distinct ion channel properties and intracellular trafficking pathways. This review article summarizes the current knowledge of the molecular mechanisms that regulate the trafficking of GluN2‐containing NMDARs, focusing on the roles of several key‐binding partners.