Popis: |
The amino acid taurine is present in high concentrations in the brain but its functions are far from clear. It has been variously suggested to be an osmoregulator, an antioxidant, a membrane-stabiliser, a modulator of trophic factors and/or calcium ions and a neuro- transmitter/neuromodulator (for review see 1). Taurine has been shown to bind to GABAA receptors, as a competitive inhibitor of the binding of the receptor agonist [3H]-muscimol (2). However, it appears that taurine is not transported to any appreciable extent by neurone r astrocyte GABA carriers but shares a common carrier with s-alanine (3). |