FUNCTIONAL PROPERTIES OF HUMAN AND RAT GLUN3-CONTAINING NMDA RECEPTORS

Author

• Carly Mae Anderson

Year of Award

2026

Document Type

Dissertation - Campus Access Only

Degree Type

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Degree Name

Neuroscience

Department or School/College

Molecular and Biomedical Sciences

Committee Chair

Kasper B. Hansen

Commitee Members

Andrew Rau, Michael Kavanaugh, Beverly Piggott, Katie Hollick

Abstract

NMDA receptors are ionotropic glutamate receptors that mediate excitatory neurotransmission in the central nervous system where they play critical roles in normal and pathological brain functions and neurodevelopment. GluN2-containing NMDA receptors (GluN1/GluN2) are glutamate/glycine-activated and have been extensively characterized, whereas the glycine-activated GluN3-containing receptors (GluN1/GluN3) are less understood. The GluN3-containing receptors have unique functional properties. GluN3A-containing receptors appear to have a role in neuronal development, synapse maturation, and dendritic spine morphology, while GluN3B-containing receptors physiological role is undetermined. This dissertation explores the functional properties of GluN1/GluN3A receptors and their effect on dendritic spine density, as well as characterizing human and rat GluN3-containing receptors with a focus on the functional effects of their differing sequence at the ion selectivity filter.

Recommended Citation

Anderson, Carly Mae, "FUNCTIONAL PROPERTIES OF HUMAN AND RAT GLUN3-CONTAINING NMDA RECEPTORS" (2026). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 12680.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/12680