Glutamate transporters play a key role in the central nervous system(CNS). Glutamate transporters comprise of excitatory amino acid transporters(EAATs) and vesicular glutamate transporters(VGLUTs).In addition to their fundamental role in mediating neurotransmitter uptake

EAATs may contribute to the modulation of a variety of cellular processes. Activation of the excitatory amino acid (EAA) carriers generates an electrogenic current attibutable to ion-coupled cotransport. Structurally distinct subtypes of human glutamate transporters

EAAT1-EAAT5 (1

2

11)

have been identified and characterized by molecular cloning. VGLUTs transport specifically glutamates into synaptic vesicles in the presynaptic terminal for further release into the synaptic cleft. VGLUT1

VGLUT2 and VGLUT3 are three subtypes of VGLUTs. Recent studies show that many central nervous system disorders are accompanied by abnormal functions of glutamate transporters and the pathological characteristics of the disease are closely related to the particular subtypes

distribution

structures and functions of the glutamate transporters.