Glycine receptors are ligand-gated chloride channels. Channel opening is triggered by extracellular glycine. Channel opening is also triggered by taurine and beta-alanine. Plays a role in the down-regulation of neuronal excitability. Contributes to the generation of inhibitory postsynaptic currents. Plays a role in cellular responses to ethanol. Homopentamer (in vitro). Interacts with GLRB. Heteropentamer composed of GLRA2 and GLRB. Both homopentamers and heteropentamers form functional ion channels, but their characteristics are subtly different. Detected in the retina inner plexiform layer (at protein level) (PubMed:15329889). Detected in neonate retina. Detected in brain (PubMed:21924294). Detected in spinal cord, with higher levels in the dorsal horn (PubMed:16847326, PubMed:21924294). Loss of glycine-induced currents in cortical neurons from 17 dpc embryos. Still, mutant mice are born at the expected Mendelian rate, are healthy and fertile. No effect on glycine-induced currents in cortical neurons from seven day old mice (PubMed:16847326). Baseline nociception is not changed, but mutant mice show increased hyperalgesia in response to mechanical stimuli during later stages of inflammation caused by zymosan injection (PubMed:21924294). The alpha subunit binds strychnine. Belongs to the ligand-gated ion channel (TC 1.A.9) family. Glycine receptor (TC 1.A.9.3) subfamily. GLRA2 sub-subfamily.