Rat and human glutamate transporter GLAST1 stable heterologous expression, biochemical and functional characterization.

Human embryonic kidney cell lines (HEK293) which express heterologously and permanently the human and rat GLAST1 (high affinity, Na(+)-dependent, CNS-specific L-glutamate transporter) have been established by the transfer of the two minigenes under the control of the cytomegalovirus promoter by electroporation. The transfected HEKh GLAST1 (human) and HEKrGLAST1 (rat) cell lines strongly express the glutamate uptake system which exhibits all biochemical and electrophysiological properties determined so far in the transiently expressing Xenopus oocyte system except the K+ dependence. These cell lines are a valuable tool for further biochemical, physiological, and pharmacological studies on this uptake system of the most important excitatory neurotransmitter.