The Functional and Molecular Properties, Physiological Functions, and Pathophysiological Roles of GluN2A in the Central Nervous System

The NMDA receptor, which is heavily involved in several human brain diseases, is a heteromeric ligand-gated ion channel that interacts with multiple intracellular proteins through the C-termini of different subunits. GluN2A and GluN2B are the two primary types of GluN2 subunits in the forebrain. During the developmental period, there is a switch from GluN2B- to GluN2A-containing NMDA receptors in synapses. In the adult brain, GluN2A exists at synaptic sites more abundantly than GluN2B. GluN2A plays important roles not only in synaptic plasticity but also in mediating physiological functions, such as learning and memory. GluN2A has also been involved in many common human diseases, such as cerebral ischemia, seizure disorder, Alzheimer’s disease, and systemic lupus erythematosus. The following review investigates the functional and molecular properties, physiological functions, and pathophysiological roles of the GluN2A subunit.