title: Role of retinal glial cells in neurotransmitter uptake and metabolism.
abstract: In addition to photoreceptors and neurons, glial cells (in particular Müller cells) contribute to the removal and metabolization of neurotransmitters in the neural retina. This review summarizes the present knowledge regarding the role of retinal glial cells in the uptake of glutamate, N-acetylaspartylglutamate, gamma-aminobutyric acid, glycine, and d-serine, as well as the degradation and removal of purinergic receptor agonists. Some major pathways of glutamate metabolism in Müller cells are described; these pathways are involved in the glutamate-glutamine cycle of the retina, in the defense against oxidative and nitrosative stress via the production of glutathione, and in the production of substrates for the neuronal energy metabolism. In addition, the developmental regulation of the major glial glutamate transporter, GLAST, and of the glia-specific enzyme glutamine synthetase is described, as well as the importance of a malfunction and even reversal of glial glutamate transporters, and a downregulation of the glutamine synthetase, as pathogenic factors in different retinopathies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Eye Hospital, University of Leipzig, Germany. bria@medizin.uni-leipzig.de
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bringmann
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pannicke
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Biedermann
authors.forename: Mike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Francke
authors.forename: Ianors
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Iandiev
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Grosche
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wiedemann
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Albrecht
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Reichenbach
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D027341:Excitatory Amino Acid Transporter 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000378:metabolism*; D011983:Receptors, Purinergic / Q000378:metabolism*; D012160:Retina / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D027341:Excitatory Amino Acid Transporter 1; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D011983:Receptors, Purinergic; D018698:Glutamic Acid