title: GABA as a rising gliotransmitter.
abstract: Gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter that is known to be synthesized and released from GABAergic neurons in the brain. However, recent studies have shown that not only neurons but also astrocytes contain a considerable amount of GABA that can be released and activate GABA receptors in neighboring neurons. These exciting new findings for glial GABA raise further interesting questions about the source of GABA, its mechanism of release and regulation and the functional role of glial GABA. In this review, we highlight recent studies that identify the presence and release of GABA in glial cells, we show several proposed potential pathways for accumulation and modulation of glial intracellular and extracellular GABA content, and finally we discuss functional roles for glial GABA in the brain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nanobiomedical Science, Dankook University Chungnam, South Korea.
authors.forename: Bo-Eun
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.affiliation: WCI Center for Functional Connectomics, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) Seoul, South Korea ; Center for Neural Science and Center for Functional Connectomics, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: C Justin
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000502:physiology*; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase
keywords: MAOB; astrocyte; glial GABA; gliotransmitter; tonic inhibition