Active and passive transporters constitute a gene family of approximately 2000 members. These proteins are required for import and export across the blood brain barrier, clearance of neurotransmitters, inter-cellular solute transfer, and transport across the membranes of subcellular organelles. Neurologic, neurodevelopmental, and psychiatric diseases have been linked to alterations in function and/or mutations in every one of these types of transporters, and many of the transporters are targeted by therapeutics. This is the 4th biennial special edition of Neurochemistry International that originates from a scientific meeting devoted to studies of transporters and their relationship to brain function and to neurodevelopmental, neurologic, and psychiatric disorders. This meeting provides the only international forum for the presentation and discussion of cutting-edge research on brain transporters covering fundamental aspects of transporter structure, function, and trafficking. Scientists describe the novel approaches being used to link this information to physiology/circuit function and behavior. The meeting also addresses translational topics surrounding mouse models of brain transporter disorders, novel human brain disorders arising from transporter mutations, and innovative therapeutic approaches centered on modification of transporter function. This special issue includes a sampling of review articles that address timely questions of the field and several primary research articles.
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