Excitatory amino acid transporters (EAATs) are membrane-bound proteins that are localized in glial cells and pre-synaptic glutamatergic nerve endings. EAAT4 is an aspartate/glutamate transporter that is expressed predominantly in the cerebellum. The transport activity encoded by EAAT4 has high apparent affinity for L-aspartate and L-glutamate, and has a pharmacologic profile consistent with previously described cerebellar transport activities. The EAAT4 protein is highly enriched in Purkinje cells of the cerebellum, although it is not restricted to these cells. While the predicted molecular weight of EAAT4 is 62 kDa.
