Despite decades of anatomic, kinetic, and pharmacologic analyses of neurotransmitter transport across neuronal and glial plasma membranes, the identification of specific gene products responsiible for neurotransmitter uptake has lagged noticeably behind the elucidation of receptor and ion channel molecules. Within the past year, however, this situation has changed dramatically with the cloning of complementary DNAs encoding amino acid (GABA) and monoarmine (norepinephrine, dopamine, serotonin) transportes. In particular, the cloning of highly related cocaine and antidepressant-sensitive norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin transportes provides clues to structural diversification likely to underline differential drug sensitivity and provides new tools for the study of the bilological basis for drug addiction and neuropsychiatric disorders.