Editing Serine (section)

== Ligands ==
<small>D</small>-serine was thought to exist only in bacteria until relatively recently; it was the second <small>D</small> amino acid discovered to naturally exist in humans, present as a signaling molecule in the brain, soon after the discovery of [[aspartate|<small>D</small>-aspartate]]. Had <small>D</small> amino acids been discovered in humans sooner, the glycine site on the NMDA receptor might instead be named the <small>D</small>-serine site.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Mothet JP, Parent AT, Wolosker H, Brady RO, Linden DJ, Ferris CD, Rogawski MA, Snyder SH | title = D-Serine is an endogenous ligand for the glycine site of the ''N''-methyl-D-aspartate receptor | journal = Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America | volume = 97 | issue = 9 | pages = 4926–4931 | date = Apr 2000 | pmid = 10781100 | pmc = 18334 | doi = 10.1073/pnas.97.9.4926 | bibcode = 2000PNAS...97.4926M | doi-access = free }}</ref> Apart from central nervous system, <small>D</small>-serine plays a signaling role in peripheral tissues and organs such as cartilage,<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Takarada T, Hinoi E, Takahata Y, Yoneda Y | title = Serine racemase suppresses chondrogenic differentiation in cartilage in a Sox9-dependent manner | journal = Journal of Cellular Physiology | volume = 215 | issue = 2 | pages = 320–328 | date = May 2008 | pmid = 17929246 | doi = 10.1002/jcp.21310 | s2cid = 45669104 }}</ref> kidney,<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Ma MC, Huang HS, Chen YS, Lee SH | title = Mechanosensitive ''N''-methyl-D-aspartate receptors contribute to sensory activation in the rat renal pelvis | journal = Hypertension | volume = 52 | issue = 5 | pages = 938–944 | date = Nov 2008 | pmid = 18809793 | doi = 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.108.114116 | doi-access = free }}</ref> and corpus cavernosum.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Ghasemi M, Rezania F, Lewin J, Moore KP, Mani AR | title = D-Serine modulates neurogenic relaxation in rat corpus cavernosum | journal = Biochemical Pharmacology | volume = 79 | issue = 12 | pages = 1791–1796 | date = Jun 2010 | pmid = 20170643 | doi = 10.1016/j.bcp.2010.02.007 }}</ref>

=== Gustatory sensation ===
Pure <small>D</small>-serine is an off-white crystalline powder with a very faint musty aroma.  <small>D</small>-Serine is sweet with an additional minor sour taste at medium and high concentrations.<ref name="AAs">{{cite journal | vauthors = Kawai M, Sekine-Hayakawa Y, Okiyama A, Ninomiya Y | title = Gustatory sensation of L- and D-amino acids in humans | journal = Amino Acids | volume = 43 | issue = 6 | pages = 2349–2358 | date = Dec 2012 | pmid = 22588481 | doi = 10.1007/s00726-012-1315-x | s2cid = 17671611 }}</ref>