Astrocyte taurine.

The evidence presented, together with the lack of solid evidence for a specific receptor site, strongly suggests that taurine does not act as a traditional neurotransmitter in the CNS. In fact, the properties seen to be governing its efflux from both glial cells and neurons argue strongly in favor of a primary role in volume regulation. However, subsequent to its release into the extracellular space, it is possible that the inherent neuroactive properties (e.g., inhibitory neuromodulation and Ca(2+)-level modulation) may be important at the synapse, at the cell plasma membrane, and intracellularly in further directing the level of neuronal activity. Whether or not the levels of released taurine are great enough to sustain these effects has still to be determined.