Functions of Maternally-Derived Taurine in Fetal and Neonatal Brain Development
Abstract
Taurine (2-aminoethanesulfonic acid) is a sulfur-containing organic acid, which has various physiological functions, including membrane stabilization, cell-volume regulation, mitochondrial protein translocation, anti-oxidative activity, neuroprotection against neurotoxicity and modulation of intracellular calcium levels. Taurine also activates GABA A receptors and glycine receptors. Mammalian fetuses and infants are dependent on taurine delivered from their mothers via either the placenta or their mother's milk. Taurine is a molecule that links mother-fetus or mother-infant bonding.This review describes the functions of taurine and the mechanisms of action of taurine in fetal and brain development. Taurine is involved in regulating the proliferation of neural progenitors, migration of newly-generated neurons, and the synapse formation of neurons after migration during fetal and neonatal development. In this review, we also discuss the environmental factors that might influence the functional roles of taurine in neural development.
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Taurine is essential for brain development and can be produced by neurons and astrocytes or transported through the blood-brain-barrier via TauT.
“Taurine is essential for brain development (Kilb and Fukuda, 2017; Tochitani, 2017) and can be produced by neurons and astrocytes (Vitvitsky et al., 2011) or transported through the blood-brain-barrier via the Taurine transporter TauT (Benrabh et al., 1995).”
From Human Gut Microbiota from Autism Spectrum Disorder Promote Behavioral Symptoms in Mice (2019) · cites this paper as Tochitani, 2017
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Human Gut Microbiota from Autism Spectrum Disorder Promote Behavioral Symptoms in Mice
Sharon, G., Cruz, N. J., Kang, D.-W., Gandal, M. J., Wang, B., Kim, Y.-M., Zink, E. M., Casey, C. P., Taylor, B. C., Lane, C. J., et al. (2019) · Cell · doi:10.1016/j.cell.2019.05.004 · Cited by 1,182 · see citing works
- Authors
- Tochitani, S.
- Affiliations
- Kanazawa University (JP)
- Corresponding author
- Tochitani, Shiro
- ORCID
- Tochitani, Shiro
- Venue
- Advances in experimental medicine and biology
- Publisher
- Springer Netherlands
- Published
- 2017
- Volume
- 975 Pt 1
- Pages
- 17-25
- ISSN
- 0065-2598 (ISSN-L)
- 2214-8019
- OpenAlex
- W2749095096
- Cited by
- 41
- References
- 53
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 1
- FWCI
- 4.17
- Type
- book chapter
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Advances in experimental medicine and biology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Aldose Reductase and Taurine
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Developmental Neuroscience › Neurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanisms
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Neonatal and fetal brain pathology
- Keywords
- taurine, fetal brain development, neonatal brain development, placental transfer, breast milk, neural progenitor proliferation, neuronal migration, synaptogenesis, neuroprotection, GABA-A receptor modulation, maternal-fetal bonding
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Brain, Female, Fetus, Humans, Maternal-Fetal Exchange, Pregnancy, Taurine, Neurogenesis
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