Figure 2.

Model of the secretory pathways used by NMDARs. First, after their synthesis and export from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), receptors travel through the Golgi before being inserted into vesicles and transported directly to the plasma membrane or transported into dendrites by vesicular transport by means of different complexes including the MAGUKs, exocyst and mPINS and kinesins. Alternatively, through an interaction with SAP97 and CASK, NMDAR can exit the ER, bypass the ERGIC pathway and travel in vesicles to dendritic Golgi outposts before reaching the membrane or the synapse.