PSY397H5 Chapter Notes - Chapter 8 : Postsynaptic Density, Integrin, Transmembrane Protein
Document Summary
Ndma receptor is both a glutamate gated channel and a voltage dependent one; simultaneous presentation of glutamate and a depolarized membrane is necessary. Pairing synaptic stimulation with membrane depolarization provided via either ampa subtype glutamate receptors or neuronal action potential firing opens the nmda receptor channel. Nmda receptor is a calcium channel and its gating leads to elevated intracellular calcium in the post-synaptic neuron; this calcium influx is what triggers lasting changes in synaptic function. The nmda receptor is a multisubunit transmembrane protein; current models hypothesize that it has more than one glutamate binding site; it also has binding sites for zinc, polyamines and glycine (a co-agonist necessary for activity) The individual subunits of the receptor are named nr1, nr2a, Nr2b, nr2c and nr2d; one functional nmda receptor has to have one or more nr1 subunits and one or more nr2 subunits;
