<p>Neurotransmitter transport systems are integral to the release, re-uptake and recycling of neurotransmitters at synapses. High affinity transport proteins found in the plasma membrane of presynaptic nerve terminals and glial cells are responsible for the removal from the extracellular space of released-transmitters, thereby terminating their actions [<cite idref="PUB00001020"/>]. Plasma membrane neurotransmitter transporters fall into two structurally and mechanistically distinct families. The majority of the transporters constitute an extensive family of homologous proteins that derive energy from the co-transport of Na⁺ and Cl^-, in order to transport neurotransmitter molecules into the cell against their concentration gradient. The family has a common structure of 12 presumed transmembrane helices and includes carriers for gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), noradrenaline/adrenaline, dopamine, serotonin, proline, glycine, choline, betaine and taurine. They are structurally distinct from the second more-restricted family of plasma membrane transporters, which are responsible for excitatory amino acid transport. The latter couple glutamate and aspartate uptake to the cotransport of Na⁺ and the counter-transport of K⁺, with no apparent dependence on Cl^- [<cite idref="PUB00006006"/>]. In addition, both of these transporter families are distinct from the vesicular neurotransmitter transporters [<cite idref="PUB00006007"/>, <cite idref="PUB00006008"/>].</p> <p>Sequence analysis of the Na⁺/Cl^- neurotransmitter superfamily reveals that it can be divided into four subfamilies, these being transporters for monoamines, the amino acids proline and glycine, GABA, and a group of orphan transporters [<cite idref="PUB00006009"/>].</p><p>Cells regulate their volume and adapt to alterations in the tonicity oftheir local environment by adjusting their solute content accordingly.Resultant water movements rapidly establish osmotic balance. Solutesutilised in this manner are referred to as osmolytes and include:glycerophosphorylcholine, betaine, myo-inositol, sorbitol and taurine [<cite idref="PUB00006013"/>].Cell membrane transporters for betaine and taurine have been cloned, and bysequence similarity they have been shown to belong to the Na⁺ and Cl^--coupled neurotransmitter transporter superfamily. The taurine transporterhas a predicted length of ~620 amino acids and can also transportbeta-alanine. It has been found to be widely distributed in the body, withtranscripts being detected in the kidney (high abundance), ileal mucosa,liver, heart and in several regions of the brain including: the corpuscallosum, striatum and anterior commisure. Functional studies haverevealed that taurine transporter activity is regulated by hypertonicity,and this regulation appears to occur at the level of mRNA accumulation [<cite idref="PUB00006036"/>].</p> Sodium:neurotransmitter symporter, taurine