Accuracy in readout of glutamate concentrations by neuronal cells

Abstract

Glutamate and glycine are important neurotransmitters in the brain. An action potential prop- agating in the terminal of a presynatic neuron causes the release of glutamate and glycine in the synapse by vesicles fusing with the cell membrane, which then activate various receptors on the cell membrane of the post synaptic neuron. Entry of Ca2+ through the activated NMDA receptors leads to a host of cellular processes of which long term potentiation is of crucial importance because it is widely considered to be one of the major mechanisms behind learning and memory. By analysing the readout of glutamate concentration by the post synaptic neurons during Ca2+ signaling, we find that the average receptor density in hippocampal neurons has evolved to allow for accurate measurement of the glutamate concentration in the synaptic cleft.