Need rods? Get glycine receptors and taurine

Neuron. 2004 Mar 25;41(6):839-41. doi: 10.1016/s0896-6273(04)00153-9.

Abstract

Taurine, a multifunctional amino acid prevalent in developing nervous tissues, regulates the number of rod photoreceptors in developing postnatal rodent retina. In this issue of Neuron, Young and Cepko show that taurine acts via GlyRalpha2 subunit-containing glycine receptors expressed by retinal progenitor cells at birth.

Publication types

  • Comment
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Differentiation / drug effects
  • Cell Differentiation / genetics
  • Cell Division / drug effects
  • Cell Division / genetics
  • Cell Lineage / drug effects
  • Cell Lineage / genetics
  • Humans
  • Ion Channel Gating / drug effects
  • Ion Channel Gating / physiology*
  • Receptors, Glycine / drug effects
  • Receptors, Glycine / genetics
  • Receptors, Glycine / metabolism*
  • Retinal Rod Photoreceptor Cells / drug effects
  • Retinal Rod Photoreceptor Cells / growth & development*
  • Retinal Rod Photoreceptor Cells / metabolism*
  • Stem Cells / drug effects
  • Stem Cells / metabolism*
  • Taurine / metabolism*
  • Taurine / pharmacology

Substances

  • GLRA2 protein, human
  • Receptors, Glycine
  • Taurine