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Selective vesicular sorting & trafficking of AMPA receptors to postsynaptic membranes
AMPA receptors are ligand-gated ion channels located primarily on the post-synaptic membranes of neuronal cells. They are activated by the neurotransmitter glutamate, the brain's main excitatory neurotransmitter.
The AMPA receptor (AMPAR) name is derived from its ability to be activated by the artificial glutamate analog AMPA (α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid). AMPARs are expressed in various regions of the brain and are known to mediate fast synaptic transmission within the central nervous system (CNS).
Post-synaptic targeting of AMPA receptors follows a highly regulated pathway and involves specific trafficking machinery.
AMPA receptors are initially sorted into distinct vesicles in the Golgi apparatus and subsequently insertion into the plasma membrane at the excitatory synapses. AMPA receptor sorting, segregation and delivery to the post-synapse is mediated by Rab GTPase 8 (Rab8) and the SNARE complex composed of SNAP25, syntaxin 1A/B (STX1), and Vamp2.
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