Glutamate receptors are the predominant excitatory neurotransmitter receptors in the mammalian brain and are activated in a variety of normal neurophysiologic processes. These receptors are heteromeric protein complexes with multiple subunits, each possessing transmembrane regions, and all arranged to form a ligand-gated ion channel. The classification of glutamate receptors is based on their activation by different pharmacologic agonists. This gene belongs to a family of alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionate (AMPA) receptors. Alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding different isoforms have been found for this gene. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008],function:Ionotropic glutamate receptor. L-glutamate acts as an excitatory neurotransmitter at many synapses in the central nervous system. Binding of the excitatory neurotransmitter L-glutamate induces a conformation change, leading to the opening of the cation channel, and thereby converts the chemical signal to an electrical impulse. The receptor then desensitizes rapidly and enters a transient inactive state, characterized by the presence of bound agonist.,miscellaneous:The postsynaptic actions of Glu are mediated by a variety of receptors that are named according to their selective agonists. This receptor binds AMPA (quisqualate) > glutamate > kainate.,PTM:Palmitoylated. Depalmitoylated upon glutamate stimulation. Cys-603 palmitoylation leads to Golgi retention and decreased cell surface expression. In contrast, Cys-829 palmitoylation does not affect cell surface expression but regulates stimulation-dependent endocytosis.,similarity:Belongs to the glutamate-gated ion channel (TC 1.A.10) family.,subcellular location:Interaction with CACNG2 promotes cell surface expression.,subunit:Homotetramer or heterotetramer of pore-forming glutamate receptor subunits. Tetramers may be formed by the dimerization of dimers. Interacts with DLG1 via its C-terminus. Interacts with CACNG2, HIP1 and RASGRF2.,tissue specificity:Widely expressed in brain.,