Excitatory amino acid transporter (EAAT (with specific isoforms such as EAAT1, EAAT2, etc.))

Excitatory amino acid transporters are a family of secondary active transporters that rapidly remove the neurotransmitter glutamate from the synaptic cleft after its release from presynaptic nerve terminals. They belong to the solute carrier family 1 (SLC1) and include several isoforms in mammals—EAAT1 through EAAT5—with distinct tissue distributions and physiological roles. These transporters are essential for maintaining low extracellular concentrations of glutamate in the central nervous system, thereby preventing excitotoxic neuronal damage while ensuring proper termination and modulation of synaptic signaling. Dysfunction or altered expression is implicated in various neurological diseases including ALS, episodic ataxia type 6, schizophrenia-related sensory gating deficits, and other neurodegenerative conditions. Pharmacologically relevant drugs can modulate their activity by either inhibiting their function directly or upregulating their expression to enhance neuroprotection. Some members also function as anion channels in addition to their role as transporters.

Other names

Glutamate transporterSolute carrier family 1 member (SLC1A)GLAST (for EAAT1)GLT-1 (for EAAT2)Glutamate aspartate transporter 1 (GLAST-1 for EAAT1)

Inhibition or upregulation alters extracellular glutamate clearance, affecting neurotransmission and neuroprotection