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SUMMARY:Glutamine and its role in synaptic physiology - Dr
 Brian 
Bil
 lups\, 
Dept of 
Pharmacology\, Univ of 
Cambridge
DTSTART:20110519T150000Z
DTEND:20110519T160000Z
UID:TALK29199@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Christian Scheppach
DESCRIPTION:Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the brain's extra
 cellular\nfluid.  It is important for protein and nucleotide synthesis\, a
 nd it has\nbeen suggested to play a role in the generation of the neurotra
 nsmitters\nglutamate and GABA. By using electrophysiological and fluoresce
 nt imaging\ntechniques\, we aim to discover if and how glutamine is involv
 ed in\ncontrolling the levels of neurotransmission in the mammalian brain.
   We have\nrecently shown that postsynaptic neurones are able to transport
  glutamine\ninto the cell body and our preliminary data demonstrate\, for 
 the first time\,\nthat presynaptic terminals are also capable of direct gl
 utamine import.\nAdditionally\, we hypothesize that glutamine is released 
 from glial cells at\nthe synapse.  In support of this\, data recorded from
  synapses and associated\nglia indicate that neuronal activation results i
 n glial glutamine release\,\nin a very rapid and highly coupled manner.  W
 hile we have identified some of\nthe transporters that mediate the release
  and uptake of glutamine at the\nsynapse\, some processes still remain elu
 sive. These exciting data give an\ninsight into the mechanisms that fast s
 ynapses use to sustain their levels\nof neurotransmitter supply\, which is
  vital for maintaining synaptic\ncommunication.
LOCATION:Hodgkin Huxley Seminar Room\, Physiology Building\, Downing Site
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