Anti-NMDA NR2B Subunit (Tyr1472) Antibody

The ion channels activated by glutamate that are sensitive to N-methyl-Daspartate (NMDA) are designated NMDA receptors (NMDAR). The NMDAR plays an essential role in memory, neuronal development and it has also been implicated in several disorders of the central nervous system including Alzheimer’s, epilepsy and ischemic neuronal cell death (Grosshans et al., 2002; Wenthold et al., 2003; Carroll and Zukin, 2002). The NMDA receptor is also one of the principal molecular targets for alcohol in the CNS (Lovinger et al., 1989; Alvestad et al., 2003; Snell et al., 1996). Channels with physiological characteristics are produced when the NR1 subunit is combined with one or more of the NMDAR2 (NR2 A-D) subunits (Ishii et al., 1993). Overexpression of the NR2B-subunit of the NMDA Receptor has been associated with increases in learning and memory while aged, memory impaired animals have deficiencies in NR2B expression (Clayton et al., 2002a; Clayton et al., 2002b). Recent work suggests that phosphorylation of Tyr-1472 on NR2B may regulate the functional expression the receptor in LTP and other forms of plasticity (Nakazawa et al., 2001; Roche et al., 2001).