Anti-GRIN2A

This gene encodes a member of the glutamate-gated ion channel protein family. The encoded protein is an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor subunit. NMDA receptors are both ligand-gated and voltage-dependent, and are involved in long-term potentiation, an activity-dependent increase in the efficiency of synaptic transmission thought to underlie certain kinds of memory and learning. These receptors are permeable to calcium ions, and activation results in a calcium influx into post-synaptic cells, which results in the activation of several signaling cascades. Disruption of this gene is associated with focal epilepsy and speech disorder with or without mental retardation. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants. Protein function: Component of NMDA receptor complexes that function as heterotetrameric, ligand-gated ion channels with high calcium permeability and voltage-dependent sensitivity to magnesium. Channel activation requires binding of the neurotransmitter glutamate to the epsilon subunit, glycine binding to the zeta subunit, plus membrane depolarization to eliminate channel inhibition by Mg(2+) (PubMed:8768735, PubMed:26919761, PubMed:26875626, PubMed:28105280). Sensitivity to glutamate and channel kinetics depend on the subunit composition, channels containing GRIN1 and GRIN2A have lower sensitivity to glutamate and faster deactivation kinetics than channels formed by GRIN1 and GRIN2B (PubMed:26919761, PubMed:26875626). Contributes to the slow phase of excitatory postsynaptic current, long- term synaptic potentiation, and learning. [The UniProt Consortium]