Role of astrocytes in glutamate homeostasis: implications for excitotoxicity.
Glutamate homeostasis in the brain is maintained by its well balanced release, uptake and metabolism. It appears that astrocytes play a prominent role in this context since they possess a very powerful battery of glutamate transporters. Thus, malfunction of astrocytic glutamate transporters will lead to an excessively high extracellular glutamate concentration which may result in neurodegeneration caused by the excitotoxic action of glutamate.
Schousboe
Arne
A
Dept. of Pharmacology, Danish University of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universitetsparken 2, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark. as@dfuni.dk
Waagepetersen
Helle S
HS
D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000633:toxicity*; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological
D018698:Glutamic Acid