EAAC1, a high-affinity glutamate tranporter, is localized to astrocytes and gabaergic neurons besides pyramidal cells in the rat cerebral cortex
Abstract
High-affinity uptake of glutamate from the synaptic cleft plays a crucial role in regulating neuronal activity in physiological and pathological conditions. We have used affinity-purified specific polyclonal antibodies raised against a synthetic peptide corresponding to the C-terminal region of rabbit and rat EAAC1, a glutamate (Glu) transporter believed to be exclusively neuronal, to investigate its cellular and subcellular localization and whether it is expressed exclusively in glutamatergic cells of infragranular layers, as suggested by previous studies. Light microscopic studies revealed that EAAC1 immunoreactivity (ir) is localized to neurons and punctate elements in the neuropil. EAAC1-positive neurons were more numerous in layers II-III and V-VI, i.e. throughout all projection layers. Most EAAC1-positive neurons were pyramidal, although nonpyramidal cells were also observed. Some EAAC1-positive non-pyramidal neurons stained positively with an antiserum to GAD, thus demonstrating that EAAC1 is not confined to glutamatergic neurons. Non-neuronal EAAC1-positive cells were also observed in the white matter, and some of them stained positively with an antiserum to GFAP. Ultrastructural studies showed that EAAC1-ir was in neur...Continue Reading
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