L-Glutamate (Glu) is an abundant amino acid that functions as the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. However, excess of Glu in the extracellular synaptic milieu leads to neuronal cell death by a process known as excitotoxicity.nThe extracellular levels of Glu are regulated by a family of high affinity plasma membrane transporters called excitatory amino acid transporters (EAATs) which are responsible for the re-uptake of Glu into the cells.nThe EAAT family includes five members (EAAT1-EAAT5) that are members of the solute carrier family 1 (SLC1) of Na+-dependent transporters that also includes the neutral amino acid transporters ASCT1 and ASCT2.nThe Glu transporters present an unusual topology of eight transmembrane domains with two re-entrant loops and intracellular N- and C- termini. The transporter is likely assembled as a trimer where each monomer is a functional unit capable of binding the Glu substrate.
