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Sci. STKE, 15 May 2007
Vol. 2007, Issue 386, p. pe23
[DOI: 10.1126/stke.3862007pe23]

PERSPECTIVES

Extrasynaptic NMDA Receptors Reshape Gene Ranks

Igor Medina*

Mediterranean Institute of Neurobiology (INMED), INSERM, 13273 Marseille, cedex 09, France.

Abstract: The N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) subtype of glutamate receptors (NMDAR) plays a key role in the control of neuronal plasticity and cell survival by modifying the activity of different signaling pathways and numerous genes. However, it remains unclear how the activation of this one class of glutamate receptors can lead to different functional consequences, such as enhancement of neuronal survival or induction of neuronal death. Recent work further refines the hypothesis that synaptic and extrasynaptic NMDARs have distinct roles in neuronal survival and death by showing that these two subpopulations of NMDARs differentially modify whole-genome activity.

*Contact information. E-mail, medina{at}inmed.univ-mrs.fr

Citation: I. Medina, Extrasynaptic NMDA Receptors Reshape Gene Ranks. Sci. STKE 2007, pe23 (2007).

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Science Signaling. ISSN 1937-9145 (pre-2008: Science's STKE. ISSN 1525-8882)