Work

Quantitative Analysis of Neurotransmitter Pathways Under Steady State Conditions – A Perspective

Year: 2013

Type: review

Abstract: In a contribution to this Research Topic Erkki Somersalo and Daniela Calvetti carried out a mathematical analysis of neurotransmitter pathways in brain, modeling compartmental nitrogen flux among several major participants - ammonia, glutamine, glutamate, GABA, and selected amino acids. This analysis is important because cerebral nitrogen metabolism is perturbed in many diseases, including liver disease and inborn errors of the urea cycle. These diseases result in an elevation of blood ammonia, which is neurotoxic. Here, a brief description is provided of the discovery of cerebral metabolic compartmentation of nitrogen metabolism - a key feature of cerebral glutamate-glutamine and GABA-glutamine cycles. The work of Somersalo and Calvetti is discussed as a model for future studies of normal and pathological cerebral ammonia metabolism.

Source: Frontiers in Endocrinology

DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2013.00179

Author: Arthur J. L. Cooper

Institution: New York Medical College

Language: English

Topic: Amino Acid Enzymes and Metabolism

Subfield: Biochemistry

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,801