Taurine in development

Abstract

Taurine is a ubiquitous dietary constituent of most mammals and is present in especially high concentrations in the tissues of developing mammals. Research to date indicates that taurine plays an important role in the development of the nervous system and the process of migration in particular. It is speculated that taurine uptake and release, in conjunction with glutamate uptake and release, may represent one form of communication between neurons and glial cells. The need of taurine by the body is emphasized by the ability of the kidney to curtail taurine excretion to conserve taurine in the face of a low dietary taurine intake. The evidence for a special role of taurine in development is considered and discussed.