Transmembrane AMPA receptor regulatory proteins
(TARPs) are the first identified auxiliary subunits for a
neurotransmitter-gated ion channel. Although initial
studies found that stargazin, the prototypical TARP,
principally chaperones AMPA receptors, subsequent
research demonstrated that it also regulates AMPA re-
ceptor kinetics and synaptic waveforms. Recent studies
have identified a diverse collection of TARP isoforms –
types Ia, Ib II – that distinctly regulate AMPA receptor
trafficking, gating and neuropharmacology. These TARP
isoforms are heterogeneously expressed in specific
neuronal populations and can differentially sculpt synap-
tic transmission and plasticity. Whole-genome analyses
also link multiple TARP loci to childhood epilepsy,
schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. TARPs emerge as
vital components of excitatory synapses that participate
both in signal transduction and in neuropsychiatric dis-
orders.