Glutamate decarboxylase and its isoforms

The review summarizes current data on the properties, localization and physiological role of GABA synthesizing enzyme, glutamic acid decarboxylase, in mammalian tissues. Due to the high prevalence of the enzyme in the body’s cells and tissues, at the moment there is a large array of scattered experimental data, which needs to be processed and systematized. Presented data demonstrate the involvement of glutamate decarboxylase in different biochemical and physiological processes of the body. It has been demonstrated that the role of enzyme as the major component of the GABAergic neurotransmission in the central nervous system is the most intensively studied. However, there is only limited information regarding distribution and functional role of glutamate decarboxylase in the peripheral nervous system, and therefore requires additional research.