GLUTAMATE AS A NEURON-TO-GLIAL SIGNAL FOR MITOGENESIS - ROLE OF GLIALN-METHYL-D-ASPARTATE RECEPTORS

The presence on glial cells of receptors for neurotransmitters suggest s the capability of neuron-to-glial signalling. Here, we asked whether the retinal transmitter, glutamate, may serve as a mitogenic signal f or human retinal glial cells. Using cultured glia from the adult postm ortem retina, we found that glutamate stimulated the proliferation of these glial cells. Pharmacological experiments indicated that this pro liferative effect involved activation of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) r eceptor channels. Activation of NMDA receptors on retinal glial cells may mediate a proliferative response of these cells to pathophysiologi c conditions causing a sustained elevation of glutamate.