Enables ligand-gated channel activity. Involved in calcium ion transmembrane transport. Predicted to be located in postsynaptic membrane. Predicted to be part of NMDA selective glutamate receptor complex. Predicted to be active in neuron projection; plasma membrane; and synapse. Is expressed in brain and retina. Used to study epilepsy. Human ortholog(s) of this gene implicated in alcohol use disorder; autosomal dominant intellectual developmental disorder 8; cerebral infarction; and developmental and epileptic encephalopathy 101. Orthologous to human GRIN1 (glutamate ionotropic receptor NMDA type subunit 1).