The vesicular release of glutamate from a presynapse, across a chemical synapse, the subsequent activation of glutamate receptors at the postsynapse of a target cell (neuron, muscle, or secretory cell) and the effects of this activation on the postsynaptic membrane potential and ionic composition of the postsynaptic cytosol. This process encompasses both spontaneous and evoked release of neurotransmitter and all parts of synaptic vesicle exocytosis. Evoked transmission starts with the arrival of an action potential at the presynapse.

A process in which a calcium ion is transported from one side of a membrane to the other into the cytosol by means of some agent such as a transporter or pore.

The membrane surrounding a cell that separates the cell from its external environment. It consists of a phospholipid bilayer and associated proteins.

The component of the plasma membrane consisting of the gene products and protein complexes having at least some part of their peptide sequence embedded in the hydrophobic region of the membrane.

A multimeric assembly of four or five subunits which form a structure with an extracellular N-terminus and a large loop that together form the ligand binding domain. The C-terminus is intracellular. The ionotropic glutamate receptor complex itself acts as a ligand-gated ion channel; on binding glutamate, charged ions pass through a channel in the center of the receptor complex.

An assembly of four or five subunits which form a structure with an extracellular N-terminus and a large loop that together form the ligand binding domain. The C-terminus is intracellular. The ionotropic glutamate receptor complex itself acts as a ligand gated ion channel; on binding glutamate, charged ions pass through a channel in the center of the receptor complex. NMDA receptors are composed of assemblies of NR1 subunits (Figure 3) and NR2 subunits, which can be one of four separate gene products (NR2A-D). Expression of both subunits are required to form functional channels. The glutamate binding domain is formed at the junction of NR1 and NR2 subunits. NMDA receptors are permeable to calcium ions as well as being permeable to other ions. Thus NMDA receptor activation leads to a calcium influx into the post-synaptic cells, a signal thought to be crucial for the induction of NMDA-receptor dependent LTP and LTD.

One of the giant synapses that form between the mossy fiber axons of dentate gyrus granule cells and the large complex spines of CA3 pyramidal cells. It consists of a giant bouton known as the mossy fiber expansion, synapsed to the complex, multiheaded spine (thorny excresence) of a CA3 pyramidal cell.

A synapse that uses glutamate as a neurotransmitter.

A synapse that uses glutamate as a neurotransmitter.

The component of the postsynaptic density membrane consisting of the gene products and protein complexes having at least some part of their peptide sequence embedded in the hydrophobic region of the membrane.