MDNI-glu is a photosensitive derivative of L-glutamate, a major excitatory amino acid, that is biologically inert. It demonstrates improved utilization of incident light.
MNI-caged-L-glutamate, a derivative of glutamate conjugated with a 4-methoxy-7-nitroindolinyl (MNI) photoprotective group, remains pharmacologically inactive at neuronal glutamate receptors at concentrations up to mM. Upon light exposure (300 - 380 nm excitation), it rapidly releases L-glutamate by cleaving the MNI group within submicroseconds. This characteristic enables the investigation of fast synaptic glutamate receptor mechanisms in situ.
Aspartylglutamate is a precursor molecule. When it upon acetylation to N-acetyl-aspartyl-glutamate (NAAG) is used as a metabotropic glutamate mGlu receptor agonist.
Monosodium N-acetylglutamate is the sodium salt of N-acetylglutamate, biosynthesized from glutamate and acetylornithine by ornithine acetyltransferase, and from glutamic acid and acetyl-CoA by the enzyme N-acetylglutamate synthase.