• Pre-synaptic terminals of glutamatergic neurons retrieve a portion of the glutamate released in response to incoming action potentials

  • The cell membrane of these terminals contain excitatory amino-acid transporters ( EAAT ) , along with transporters such as Na+/K+-pumps , K+ channels , and likely Na+/H+ exchangers

  • The coupling stoichiometry of EAAT is cotransport of one glutamate with 3 Na+ and one H+ ,

    • all in exchange for one K+

  • You assume that the basal condition of the pre-synaptic terminal under study has the following properties :

    • Vm=−65 mV

    • [Na+]e=145 mM

    • [Na+]i=10 mM

    • [K+]e=4.5 mM

    • [K+]i=150 mM

    • pHe=7.4

    • pHi=7.0

  • You predict that high synaptic activity will enhance the driving force for glutamate uptake

EK≈60∗log10( 4.5150 )≈−91.373 mV
ENa≈60∗log10( 14510 )≈+69.682 mV
EH≈60∗log10( 1∗10−7.41∗10−7.0 )≈−24.0 mV
  1. Draw a diagram of the pre-synaptic terminal that includes EAAT and the other transporters needed to achieve a steady-state Vm and pHi

image-20250412091846636


In the absence of incoming action potentials, glutamate at the pre-synaptic terminal is : [glutamate−]i=1 mM and [glutamate−]e=25 nM

EGlu≈−60∗log10( 25∗10−91∗10−3 )≈+276.12 mV
  1. For the resting condition , calculate the driving force for EAAT ( and flow direction )

IonmVnzContribution ( n∗z∗( E−Vm ) ) ( mV )
Na+69.73+13∗1∗( 69.7−( −65 ) )=404.10
K−91.41+11∗1∗( −91.4−( −65 ) )=−26.40
H−24.01+11∗1∗( −24.0−( −65 ) )=+41.0
Glutamate+276.121-11∗−1∗( +276.12−( −65 ) )=−341.12
Vm−65.01+2 
Total=( 404.10 )+( −26.40 )+( 41.0 )+( −341.12 )=+77.580 mV

  1. Calculate the driving force for EAAT at the peak of an incoming action potential

IonmVnzContribution ( n∗z∗( E−Vm ) ) ( mV )
Na+69.73+13∗1∗( 69.7−( +55 ) )=44.10
K−91.41+11∗1∗( −91.4−( +55 ) )=−146.40
H−24.01+11∗1∗( −24.0−( +55 ) )=−79.0
Glutamate+276.121-11∗−1∗( +276.12−( +55 ) )=−221.12
Total=( 44.10 )+( −146.40 )+( −79.0 )+( −221.12 )=−402.42 mV

High frequency action potential arrival in the terminal excites glutamate release such that : [glutamate−]i=1 mM and [glutamate−]e=1 mM

EGlu=−60∗log10( 11 )=0 mV
  1. Calculate the driving force for EAAT during these inter-spike periods and at the peaks of these action potentials

Inter-Spike Periods
IonmVnzContribution ( n∗z∗( E−Vm ) ) ( mV )
Na+69.73+13∗1∗( 69.7−( −65 ) )=404.10
K−91.41+11∗1∗( −91.4−( −65 ) )=−26.40
H−24.01+11∗1∗( −24.0−( −65 ) )=+41.0
Glutamate01-11∗−1∗( 0−( −65 ) )=−65.0
Total=( 404.10 )+( −26.40 )+( +41.0 )+( −65.0 )=+353.70 mV
At Action Potential Peak
IonmVnzContribution ( n∗z∗( E−Vm ) ) ( mV )
Na+69.73+13∗1∗( 69.7−( +55 ) )=44.10
K−91.41+11∗1∗( −91.4−( +55 ) )=−146.40
H−24.01+11∗1∗( −24.0−( +55 ) )=−79.0
Glutamate01-11∗−1∗( 0−( +55 ) )=+55
Total=( 44.10 )+( −146.40 )+( −79.0 )+( +55.0 )=−126.30 mV

Hypoxic conditions stress the pre-synaptic terminal altering the ion gradients : [glutamate−]i=1 mM || [glutamate−]e=3 μM [Na+]i=60 mM || [Na+]e=135 mM pHi=6.5 || pHe=6.5 Vm=−20 mV

  1. Determine the reversal potential for EAAT during these hypoxic conditions.

EGlu≈−60∗log10( 3∗10−61∗10−3 )≈+151.37 mV
ENa≈60∗log10( 13560 )≈+21.131 mV
EH=60∗log10( 1∗10−6.51∗10−6.5 )=0 mV
IonmVnzContribution ( n∗z∗( E−Vm ) ) ( mV )
Na+21.1313+13∗1∗( 21.131−( Vrev ) )= ?
K−91.41+11∗1∗( −91.4−( Vrev ) )= ?
H01+11∗1∗( 0−( Vrev ) )= ?
Glutamate+151.371-11∗−1∗( +151.37−( Vrev ) )= ?
Vrev=0=( 3∗1∗( ( 21.131 )−( Vrev ) ) )+( 1∗1∗( ( −91.4 )−( Vrev ) ) )+( 1∗1∗( ( 0 )−( Vrev ) ) )+( 1∗−1∗( ( 151.37 )−( Vrev ) ) )
Vrev=( 3∗ENa )+( EH )+( −EGlu )+( EK )6
Vrev=( 3∗21.131 )+( 0 )+( −( 151.37 ) )+( −91.4 )6=−29.896 mV

  • Astrocytes adjacent to pre-synaptic terminals of glutamatergic neurons also retrieve a portion of the glutamate released in response to incoming action potentials.

  • These astrocytes convert glutamate to glutamine and then extrude glutamine for retrieval by pre-synaptic terminals ( glutamine-shuttle ) , such that post-synaptic glutamate receptors remain unaware

  • Cell membranes of these astrocytes contain Na+-dependent neutral amino-acid transporters ( SNAT3 ) , along with transporters such as Na+/K+ pumps , K+ channels , and likely others

  • The coupling stoichiometry of SNAT3 is cotransport of one glutamine with one Na+ in exchange for one H+

  • Cell membranes of these pre-synaptic terminals contain SNAT1

  • The coupling stoichiometry of SNAT1 is cotransport of one glutamine with one Na+

  • You assume that for the synaptic locale under study , the basal condition has the following properties :

    • Vm=−65 mV

    • [Na+]e=145 mM

    • [Na+]i=11.0 mM

    • [K+]e=4.5 mM

    • [K+]i=150 mM

    • pHe=7.4

    • pHiA=7.2

    • [glutamate−]e=25 μM

    • [glutamate−]iA=1.2 mM

    • [glutamate−]iN=0.3 mM

  • You predict that extracellular glutamine concentrations will remain in a narrow range that supports continual glutamine uptake by the pre-synaptic terminal

ENa≈60∗log10( 14511 )≈ +67.199 mV
EK≈60∗log10( 4.5150 )≈ −91.373 mV
EH≈60∗log10( 1∗10−7.41∗10−7.2 )≈ −12.0 mV
EGluA=−60∗log10( 25∗10−61.2∗10−3 )=+100.87 mV
EGluN=−60∗log10( 25∗10−60.3∗10−3 )=+64.751 mV
  1. Draw a diagram of the synaptic locale that includes SNAT and the other transporters and enzymes needed to achieve a glutamate re-supply for the pre-synaptic terminal

image-20250412124023015

  1. Calculate the driving force for SNAT1 and for SNAT3 during the inter-spike periods

SNAT1
IonmVnzDriving Force ( E−Vm ) ) ( mV )Contribution ( n∗z∗DF ) ( mV )
Na+67.1991+1( +67.199 )−( −65 )=132.201∗1∗132.20=132.20
Glutamine?10( 0 )−( −65 )=−651∗0∗−65=0.0
Total=( 132.20 )+( 0 )=+132.20 mV
SNAT3
IonmVnzDriving Force ( E−Vm ) ) ( mV )Contribution ( n∗z∗DF ) ( mV )
Na+67.1991+1( +67.199 )−( −65 )=132.201∗1∗132.20=132.20
H−12.01+1( −12 )−( −65 )=53.01∗1∗53.0=53.0
Glutamine?10( 0 )−( −65 )=−651∗0∗−65=0.0
Total=( 132.20 )+( 53 )+( 0 )=+185.20 mV

  1. Calculate the driving force for SNAT1 and for SNAT3 at the peak of an incoming action potential

SNAT1
IonmVnzDriving Force ( E−Vm ) ) ( mV )Contribution ( n∗z∗DF ) ( mV )
Na+67.1991+1( +67.199 )−( +55 )=12.1991∗1∗12.199=12.199
Glutamine?10( 0 )−( +55 )=+551∗0∗+55=0.0
Total=( 12.199 )+( 0 )=+12.199 mV
SNAT3
IonmVnzDriving Force ( E−Vm ) ) ( mV )Contribution ( n∗z∗DF ) ( mV )
Na+67.1991+1( +67.199 )−( +55 )=12.1991∗1∗12.199=12.199
H−12.01+1( −12 )−( +55 )=−67.01∗1∗−67.0=−67.0
Glutamine?10( 0 )−( +55 )=+551∗0∗+55=0.0
Total=( 12.199 )+( −67.0 )+( 0 )=−54.801 mV

  1. Determine the [glutamine]e at which the transport direction changes ( reversal point ) for SNAT1 and for SNAT3 during the inter-spike periods. ( Assume that only [glutamine]e changes )

SNAT1
IonmVnzDriving Force ( E−Vm ) ) ( mV )Contribution ( n∗z∗DF ) ( mV )
Na+67.1991+1( +67.199 )−( −65 )=132.201∗1∗132.20=132.20
Glutamine?10( ? )−( −65 )= ?1∗0∗ ?= ?
0=( 132.20 )+( ( EGln−( −65 ) ) )
EGln=−197.20
−197.20=60∗log10( [glutamine]e[glutamine]i )
[glutamine]e=5.1681∗10−4 M
SNAT3
IonmVnzDriving Force ( E−Vm ) ) ( mV )Contribution ( n∗z∗DF ) ( mV )
Na+67.1991+1( +67.199 )−( −65 )=132.201∗1∗132.20=132.20
H−12.01+1( −12 )−( −65 )=53.01∗1∗53.0=53.0
Glutamine?10( ? )−( −65 )= ?1∗0∗ ?= ?
0=( 132.20 )+( 53.0 )+( ( EGln−( −65 ) ) )
EGln=−250.20
−250.20=60∗log10( [glutamine]e[glutamine]i )
[glutamine]e=6.7608∗10−5 M

Hypoxic conditions stress the synaptic locale altering the ion gradients : [glutamate−]i=1 mM || [glutamate−]e=30 μM [Na+]i=60 mM || [Na+]e=135 mM [K+]i=100 mM || [K+]e=15 mM pHi=6.5 || pHe=6.5 Vm=−20 mV

  1. Determine the range of [glutamine]e that allows the glutamine-shuttle to operate during these hypoxic conditions.

ENa≈60∗log10( 13560 )≈ +21.131 mV
EK≈60∗log10( 15100 )≈ −49.435 mV
EH≈60∗log10( 1∗10−6.51∗10−6.5 )≈ 0.0 mV
EGlu=−60∗log10( 30∗10−61∗10−3 )=+91.373 mV
DFNa=( 21.131 )−( −20 )=+41.131 mV
SNAT 1
0=( 41.131 )+( ( EGln−( −20 ) ) )
EGln=−61.131
−61.131=60∗log10( [glutamine]e[glutamine]i )
[glutamine]e=0.095752 M
SNAT 3
0=( 41.131 )+( ( 0−( −20 ) ) )+( ( EGln−( −20 ) ) )
EGln=−81.131
−81.131=60∗log10( [glutamine]e[glutamine]i )
[glutamine]e=0.046183 M