Centre for Neuroscience, Division of Medical Sciences, Ninewells Medical School, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 9SY, UK.
Biochem Soc Trans. 2009 Dec;37(Pt 6):1389-93. doi: 10.1042/BST0371389.
Glutamate is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the mammalian central nervous system playing critical roles in basal synaptic transmission and mechanisms of learning and memory. Under normal conditions, glutamate is sequestered within synaptic vesicles (approximately 100 mM) with extracellular glutamate concentrations being limited (<1 microM), via retrieval by plasma-membrane transporters on neuronal and glial cells. In the case of central nervous system trauma, stroke, epilepsy, and in certain neurodegenerative diseases, increased concentrations of extracellular glutamate (by vesicular release, cell lysis and/or decreased glutamate transporter uptake/reversal) stimulate the overactivation of local ionotropic glutamate receptors that trigger neuronal cell death (excitotoxicity). Other natural agonists, such as domoic acid, alcohol and auto-antibodies, have also been reported to induce excitotoxicity.
谷氨酸是哺乳动物中枢神经系统中的主要兴奋性神经递质，在基础突触传递和学习记忆机制中发挥着关键作用。在正常情况下，谷氨酸被隔离在突触小泡中（约 100mM），细胞外谷氨酸浓度受到限制（<1μM），这是通过神经元和神经胶质细胞上的质膜转运体回收实现的。在中枢神经系统创伤、中风、癫痫和某些神经退行性疾病的情况下，细胞外谷氨酸浓度的增加（通过囊泡释放、细胞裂解和/或减少谷氨酸转运体摄取/反向转运）会刺激局部离子型谷氨酸受体的过度激活，从而引发神经元细胞死亡（兴奋性毒性）。其他天然激动剂，如二酸、酒精和自身抗体，也被报道会引起兴奋性毒性。
