Merck, G6642-.2ML, Anti-Glutamate antibody produced in rabbit

The amino acids L-glutamate (Glu) and L-aspartate (Asp) are considered the major excitatory neurotransmitters in the central nervous system (CNS) and represent the most abundant mammalian neurotransmitter class. Both L-glutamate and L-aspartate are present in the brain at high concentrations and are distributed in most excitatory pathways in the CNS. Glu- and Asp-immunoreactivities are localized in high concentrations in synaptic terminals. In nerve terminals, L-glutamate is formed by deamidation of its major precursor, L-glutamine, by the enzyme glutaminase. The actions of the excitatory amino acids on neurons are mediated by different receptor subtypes. These receptors are coupled to integral ion channels or to a second messenger system which utilizes inositol triphosphate (IP3). L-glutamate and L-aspartate may play an important role in the pathogenesis of certain neurological disorders such as Huntington′s disease, Alzheimer′s disease, epilepsy and brain ischemia. The excitoxic and neurotoxic effects of L-glutamate, leading to extensive neuronal damage, appear to be mediated by the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor subtype.