The protein encoded by this gene is a member of the family of ionotropic glutamate receptors which are the predominant excitatory neurotransmitter receptors in the mammalian brain. The encoded protein is a multi-pass membrane protein that is expressed selectively in cerebellar Purkinje cells. A point mutation in the mouse ortholog, associated with the phenotype named lurcher, in the heterozygous state leads to ataxia resulting from selective, cell-autonomous apoptosis of cerebellar Purkinje cells during postnatal development. Mice homozygous for this mutation die shortly after birth from massive loss of mid- and hindbrain neurons during late embryogenesis. This protein also plays a role in synapse organization between parallel fibers and Purkinje cells. Alternate splicing results in multiple transcript variants encoding distinct isoforms. Mutations in thisdomain:The PDZ-binding motif mediates interaction with GOPC.,function:Receptor for glutamate. L-glutamate acts as an excitatory neurotransmitter at many synapses in the central nervous system. The postsynaptic actions of Glu are mediated by a variety of receptors that are named according to their selective agonists.,similarity:Belongs to the glutamate-gated ion channel (TC 1.A.10) family.,subunit:Interacts with AIP1, AP4M1, BECN1, GOPC, GRID2IP, SHANK1 and SHANK2.,
