Kay Alan R, Tóth Katalin
Department of Biology, 336 BB, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA.
Sci Signal. 2008 May 13;1(19):re3. doi: 10.1126/stke.119re3.
The vesicles of certain glutamatergic terminals in the mammalian forebrain are replete with ionic zinc. It is believed that during synaptic transmission zinc is released, binds to receptors on the pre- or postsynaptic membranes, and hence acts as a neuromodulator. Although exogenous zinc modulates a wide variety of channels, whether synaptic zinc transits across the synaptic cleft and alters the response of channels has been difficult to establish. We will review the evidence for zinc as a neuromodulator and propose diagnostic criteria for establishing whether it is indeed one. Moreover, we will delineate alternative ways in which zinc might act at synapses.
哺乳动物前脑某些谷氨酸能终末的囊泡中富含离子锌。据信,在突触传递过程中锌被释放出来,与突触前或突触后膜上的受体结合,从而作为一种神经调质发挥作用。尽管外源性锌可调节多种通道,但突触锌是否穿过突触间隙并改变通道反应一直难以确定。我们将综述锌作为神经调质的证据,并提出确定其是否确实为神经调质的诊断标准。此外,我们将描述锌在突触处可能发挥作用的其他方式。