EAAT PROTEIN Meaning and
Definition
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EAAT protein, also known as Excitatory Amino Acid Transporter protein, refers to a group of membrane transport proteins that are primarily involved in the regulation and transportation of excitatory amino acids, particularly glutamate, across cell membranes. These proteins play a crucial role in maintaining the balance of glutamate concentration in various tissues and organs, including the central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral tissues.
EAAT proteins are predominantly expressed in neurons and glial cells, such as astrocytes, throughout the body. Their main function is to remove excess glutamate from the synaptic cleft, preventing overexcitation of the postsynaptic neurons and potential neurotoxicity. By efficiently clearing glutamate, these proteins contribute to the termination of synaptic transmission and the prevention of neuronal damage.
There are five subtypes of EAAT proteins, known as EAAT1 to EAAT5, which are encoded by different genes. Each subtype is characterized by specific cellular and subcellular distributions. For example, EAAT1 and EAAT2 are primarily present in astrocytes, while EAAT3 and EAAT4 are found in neurons. EAAT5, on the other hand, is mainly expressed in the retina.
Understanding the role of EAAT proteins is crucial in various physiological and pathological processes, including synaptic plasticity, brain development, and neurotransmitter-related disorders. Dysregulation or dysfunction of these transporters has been implicated in several neurological diseases, such as epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, stroke, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Consequently, EAAT proteins have become a target for several drug development efforts aiming to modulate their activity for therapeutic purposes.
Common Misspellings for EAAT PROTEIN
- east protein
- waat protein
- saat protein
- daat protein
- raat protein
- 4aat protein
- 3aat protein
- ezat protein
- esat protein
- ewat protein
- eqat protein
- eazt protein
- eawt protein
- eaqt protein
- eaar protein
- eaaf protein
- eaag protein
- eaay protein
- eaa6 protein
- eaa5 protein
Etymology of EAAT PROTEIN
The etymology of the term "EAAT protein" is derived from the acronym for "Excitatory Amino Acid Transporter". The EAAT proteins are a group of transporters that play a crucial role in regulating the levels of the excitatory amino acids glutamate and aspartate in the brain. Hence, the term "EAAT protein" specifically refers to this family of transporters involved in excitatory amino acid transport.
