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Neurotransmitter receptor heteromers in neurodegenerative diseases and neural plasticity

  • Basic Neurosciences, Genetics and Immunology - Review Article
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Abstract

Metabotropic receptors for neurotransmitters on the plasma membrane of neurons are forming homo- hetero- dimers and even homo- or hetero-oligomers. Neurotransmission has been studied assuming that these G-protein-coupled receptors were monomers. Then, on considering receptor dimers, we are entering a new era for the understanding how neurotransmitter receptors decode signals originating at the nervous system. At the moment it is becoming clear that receptor homo and hetero-oligomers provide signaling diversity, help to understand synaptic plasticity and open new therapeutic potential as targets for neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric diseases.

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  1. Rafael Franco

    Present address: CIMA Centro de Investigación Médica Aplicada, Universidad de Navarra, Avda Pio XII 55, 31008, Pamplona, Spain

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

    Rafael Franco

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Correspondence to Rafael Franco.

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Franco, R. Neurotransmitter receptor heteromers in neurodegenerative diseases and neural plasticity. J Neural Transm 116, 983–987 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-008-0148-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-008-0148-y

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