Modulating Retinal Glutamate Transport In Health And Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$256,527.00
Summary
Damage can occur to nervous tissues like the retina and brain when there is a reduction in the blood supply. This can occur as a result of a blood clot, stroke or the eye disease, glaucoma. These conditions often result in blindness. Much of the neuronal damage is due to the release of an excess of glutamate. Glutamate is a chemical (neurotransmitter) that nerves use to communicate with each other, but it is toxic to nerves when present at high concentrations. This project will investigate the m ....Damage can occur to nervous tissues like the retina and brain when there is a reduction in the blood supply. This can occur as a result of a blood clot, stroke or the eye disease, glaucoma. These conditions often result in blindness. Much of the neuronal damage is due to the release of an excess of glutamate. Glutamate is a chemical (neurotransmitter) that nerves use to communicate with each other, but it is toxic to nerves when present at high concentrations. This project will investigate the mechanisms that regulate the concentration of glutamate in the retina. If these mechanisms could be made to work more efficiently, they may prevent the build-up of the glutamate and therefore prevent damage to the nerve cells. Understanding these mechanisms will aid in the development of an effective treatment to prevent blindness when there is a blockage of the blood supply to the retina.Read moreRead less
Neurotransmitters mediate the communication between nerve cells in the brain. Once released at the synapse - the contact site between nerve cells - neurotransmitters propagate signals to neighbouring neurons. To allow fast and accurate signal processing in the brain neurotransmitters must be removed rapidly from the site of action. This resets the signal transduction process so that the next nerve impuls can be transmitted. Removal of neurotransmitters is accomplished by transporters, which capt ....Neurotransmitters mediate the communication between nerve cells in the brain. Once released at the synapse - the contact site between nerve cells - neurotransmitters propagate signals to neighbouring neurons. To allow fast and accurate signal processing in the brain neurotransmitters must be removed rapidly from the site of action. This resets the signal transduction process so that the next nerve impuls can be transmitted. Removal of neurotransmitters is accomplished by transporters, which capture the neurotransmitters and bring them back into neurons and astrocytes, the two major cell types in the brain. Malfunction of these transporters can cause mood disorders, Parkinsons's disease and may play a role in the onset of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and other neurodegenerative disorders. In this project we try to identify novel neurotransmitters transporters, which are likely to play an important role in neurotransmission. Previously, these transporters were assigned as orphan transporters to indicate our lack of understanding. However, recent results from our laboratory now allows to identify the function of these transporters. Elucidation of the physiological role of these transporter will provide the basis to study their function and role in health and disease.Read moreRead less