title: Kainate receptor physiology.
abstract: Glutamate receptors constitute a complex signalling system at most of the excitatory synapses in the brain. Of the known ionotropic glutamate receptors, kainate receptors are ubiquitous in the central nervous system, and a considerable amount of data indicates that this class of receptors is present at both sides of the synapse. Pre- and postsynaptic kainate receptors are able to regulate both transmission of information and excitability in a synapse-specific manner. Proteins interacting with kainate receptor subunits are being identified and functional studies have provided evidence of the existence of a dual signalling system. It has become clear that these receptors have a role in synaptic plasticity and that they might also have a fundamental role in epilepsy through the strategic control of network excitability. However, the role of kainate receptors in other brain pathologies remains obscure.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universidad Miguel Hernández, 03550, San Juan de Alicante, Spain. jlerma@umh.es
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lerma
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity; D021381:Protein Transport; D018092:Kainic Acid Receptors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D009435:Synaptic Transmission; D000097806:GluK2 Kainate Receptor
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D018092:Kainic Acid Receptors; D000097806:GluK2 Kainate Receptor