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Comment
. 2014 Feb 19;81(4):715-7.
doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2014.02.004.

Good housekeeping

Affiliations
Comment

Good housekeeping

Linda Overstreet-Wadiche et al. Neuron. .

Abstract

In this issue of Neuron, Tani et al. (2014) revisit a disputed issue where biochemical and physiological data have provided conflicting results. Using a novel stimulation protocol, the authors isolate the contribution of the glutamate-glutamine cycle to excitatory synaptic transmission.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. The canonical glutamate-glutamine cycle
Following synaptic vesicle fusion from presynaptic boutons and receptor activation at postsynaptic membranes, glutamate (orange circles) is taken up by excitatory amino acid transporters (EAATs; green) located on astrocytes. Glutamine synthetase (GS) rapidly converts glutamate to glutamine (open circles) that is then exported by system N transporters (syst N; yellow). System A transporters (syst A; blue) localized to neurons then take up glutamine that is converted back to glutamate by phosphate-activated glutaminase (PAG).

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References

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