The Role of Amino Acids in Neurotransmission and Fluorescent Tools for Their Detection

Abstract

Neurotransmission between neurons, which can occur over the span of a few milliseconds, relies on the controlled release of small molecule neurotransmitters, many of which are amino acids. Fluorescence imaging provides the necessary speed to follow these events and has emerged as a powerful technique for investigating neurotransmission. In this review, we highlight some of the roles of the 20 canonical amino acids, GABA and β-alanine in neurotransmission. We also discuss available fluorescence-based probes for amino acids that have been shown to be compatible for live cell imaging, namely those based on synthetic dyes, nanostructures (quantum dots and nanotubes), and genetically encoded components. We aim to provide tool developers with information that may guide future engineering efforts and tool users with information regarding existing indicators to facilitate studies of amino acid dynamics.

Integrative Metabolomic Characterization Reveals the Mediating Effect of Bifidobacterium breve on Amino Acid Metabolism in a Mouse Model of Alzheimer’s Disease

“…Amino acids are transported across the BBB [31]. Serving as nitrogen donors and neurotransmitters, amino acids, mostly L-glutamine, play critical roles in the central nervous system [32]. Through further pathway and enrichment analysis, we identified that the amino acid metabolism pathway and aminoacyl tRNA biosynthesis play important roles in AD progression, which aligns with previous studies linking amino acid metabolism with aging and cognitive decline [28,33,34].…”

Synaptic Reshaping and Neuronal Outcomes in the Temporal Lobe Epilepsy

“…In the vertebrate central nervous system (CNS), glutamatergic neuronal transmission is mediated by the activation of fast excitatory ionotropic receptors, classified as AMPA, N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), and KA receptors, and metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs). Glutamate plays important functions in the healthy brain since it oversees 80%–90% of all synapse connections [ 38 ]. It is predominantly found in neuronal cells [ 39 ], but it also acts as a gliotransmitter released from astrocytes, contributing to the fine regulation of the synaptic network [ 40 , 41 ].…”

Physicochemical properties of house and cave edible bird's nest from Southern Thailand

“…Chua et al [29] found that EBN had a higher concentration of EAA than other food products, e.g., quail egg, milk, and chicken. This result indicated that EBN is a good source of EAA enhancing the rate of protein synthesis in the human body [28].…”

“…Amino acids serve as the nitrogenous backbones for proteins and several compounds such as neurotransmitters and hormones [28]. Based on a wet weight basis, proteins from EBN consisted of 17 amino acids:…”