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Analysis of Functional NMDA Receptors in Astrocytes

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NMDA Receptors

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1677))

Abstract

Neuronal N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors are well known for their pivotal role in memory formation. Originally, they were thought to be exclusive to neurons. However, numerous studies revealed their functional expression also on various types of glial cells in the nervous system. Here, the methodology how to study the physiology of NMDA receptors selectively on astrocytes will be described in detail. Astrocytes are the main class of neuroglia that control transmitter and ion homeostasis, which link cerebral blood flow and neuronal energy demands, but also affect synaptic transmission directly.

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Acknowledgments

The author is particularly grateful to the long-term collaboration with Alexei Verkhratsky (University of Manchester, UK), Ulyana Lalo and Yuriy Pankratov (University of Warwick, Coventry, UK).

The author’s lab received grant support from Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft DFG SPP 1757 and SFB 894; Fondation pour l’Aide a la Recherche sur la Sclerose En Plaques and Association Française contre les Myopathies (ARSEP-AFM); European Commission FP7-202167 NeuroGLIA and FP7-People ITN-237956 EdU-Glia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Molecular Physiology, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), University of Saarland, Building 48, D-66421, Homburg, Germany

    Frank Kirchhoff

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  1. Frank Kirchhoff
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Correspondence to Frank Kirchhoff .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Mediterranean Institute of Neurobiology (INMED), Aix-Marseille University, INSERM U901, Marseille, France

    Nail Burnashev

  2. Mediterranean Institute of Neurobiology (INMED), Aix-Marseille University, INSERM U901, Marseille, France

    Pierre Szepetowski

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Kirchhoff, F. (2017). Analysis of Functional NMDA Receptors in Astrocytes. In: Burnashev, N., Szepetowski, P. (eds) NMDA Receptors. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1677. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-7321-7_13

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-7321-7_13

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-7320-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-7321-7

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

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