Overview of the NMDA receptor

Abstract

The N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) is a glutamate-gated ion channel that is critically involved in physiological and pathological functions in the central nervous system (CNS). Over the last 25 years, molecular biological studies revealed the molecular diversity of NMDAR subunits, the structural basis of NMDAR functions, and the in vivo functions of NMDAR subunits. Because NMDAR is involved in many diseases including neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders, development of NMDAR-selective agonists and antagonists have great therapeutic potentials. In this chapter, I present an overview of the structure and function of NMDAR from molecular biological aspects.