SLC1A2 and neurodegenerative disease: Glutamate transporter solute carrier family 1, member 2 (GLT1/EAAT2) expressed in astrocytes regulates glutamate levels at the synapse and plays a cardinal role in preventing excitotoxic neuronal damage in certain neurodegenerative diseases (Nedergaard et al., 2002; Maragakis and Rothstein, 2006).