Cumulative evidence over the past two decades has
placed AMPAR trafficking as a major regulatory mech-
anism in controlling synaptic plasticity, learning, and
memory. The past few years have seen a rapid progress
in the field revealing the complexity of AMPAR traffick-
ing pathways (Figure 2). More importantly, the molecular
details regulating AMPAR endosomal trafficking and
sorting have started to be elucidated through identifi-
cation of new AMPAR interacting proteins and study of
genetically modified mice. Future studies concerning the
cross-talk between various signaling pathways, intermo-
lecular regulation between AMPAR interacting proteins,
and identification of molecular cues that determine the
sorting of AMPARs into distinct intracellular compart-
ments under basal, stimulated and pathological con-
ditions are crucial to better understand mechanisms of
AMPAR trafficking and ultimately its role in higher brain
function.