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  • Release of neuroactive substances: homocysteic acid as an endogenous agonist of the NMDA receptor.

Release of neuroactive substances: homocysteic acid as an endogenous agonist of the NMDA receptor.

Journal of neural transmission (1988-01-01)
K Q Do, P L Herrling, P Streit, M Cuénod
ABSTRACT

Sulfur containing amino acids such as homocysteic acid (HCA), cysteinsulfinic acid, homocysteinsulfinic acid are released by depolarization of slices from various rat brain regions in a Ca++-dependent manner. L-HCA excites caudate neurons through their N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptor and potentiates their cortically evoked excitatory postsynaptic potentials. 35S-methionine can label the releasable pool of HCA, and thus appears as a precursor of HCA. Thus HCA is a transmitter candidate which acts predominantly on the NMDA receptor.