Abstract
Vesicular glutamate transporter (VGLUT) is responsible for the active transport of L-glutamate in synaptic vesicles and thus plays an essential role in the glutamatergic chemical transmission in the central nervous system. VGLUT comprises three isoforms, VGLUT1, 2, and 3, and is a potential marker for the glutamatergic phenotype. Recent studies indicated that VGLUT is also expressed in non-neuronal cells, and localized with various organelles such as synaptic-like microvesicles in the pineal gland, and hormone-containing secretory granules in endocrine cells. L-Glutamate is stored in these organelles, secreted upon various forms of stimulation, and then acts as a paracrine-like modulator. Thus, VGLUTs highlight a novel framework of glutamatergic signaling and reveal its diverse modes of action.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 155-163 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Journal of biochemistry |
Volume | 135 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Feb 2004 |
Keywords
- Acrosome
- BNPI
- Chemical transmission
- DNPI
- L-glutamate
- Osteoblast
- Secretory granule
- Synaptic vesicle
- Synaptic-like microvesicle
- VGLUT
- Vesicular glutamate transporter
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Biochemistry
- Molecular Biology