Search results for "Neurotransmitter"
showing 10 items of 275 documents
Morphology changes induced by intercellular gap junction blocking: A reaction-diffusion mechanism.
2021
Complex anatomical form is regulated in part by endogenous physiological communication between cells; however, the dynamics by which gap junctional (GJ) states across tissues regulate morphology are still poorly understood. We employed a biophysical modeling approach combining different signaling molecules (morphogens) to qualitatively describe the anteroposterior and lateral morphology changes in model multicellular systems due to intercellular GJ blockade. The model is based on two assumptions for blocking-induced patterning: (i) the local concentrations of two small antagonistic morphogens diffusing through the GJs along the axial direction, together with that of an independent, uncouple…
Synthesis and monoamine uptake inhibition of conformationally constrained 2β-carbomethoxy-3β-phenyl tropanes
2009
A series of 2beta-carbomethoxy-3beta-phenyl tropanes with conformationally constrained nitrogen substituents were synthesized as potential selective dopamine transporter ligands. These novel compounds were examined for their monoamine uptake inhibition potency at the human dopamine transporter (hDAT), the human serotonin transporter (hSERT) and the human noradrenalin transporter (hNET), stably expressed in human embryonic kidney cells (HEK). A SAR-study was conducted to determine the contribution of extended, 4-fluorinated, conformationally constrained C4 chains at the tropane nitrogen to human monoamine transporter affinity and selectivity.
Role of hydrophobicity on the monoamine receptor binding affinities of central nervous system drugs: a quantitative retention-activity relationships …
2004
Abstract Biological action and activity reflect an aspect of the fundamental physicochemical properties of the bioactive compounds. As an alternative to classical QSAR studies, in this work different quantitative retention–activity relationships (QRAR) models are proposed, which are able to describe the role of hydrophobicity on the binding affinity to different brain monoamine receptors (H 1 -histamine, α 1 -noradrenergic and 5-HT 2 -serotonergic) of different families of psychotherapeutic drugs. The retention of compounds is measured in a biopartitioning micellar chromatography (BMC) system using Brij-35 mobile phases. The adequacy of the QRAR models developed is due to the fact that both…
Plasticity of retinal ribbon synapses.
1996
Ribbon synapses differ from conventional chemical synapses in that they contain, within the cloud of synaptic vesicles (SV's), a specialized synaptic body, most often termed synaptic ribbon (SR). This body assumes various forms. Reconstructions reveal that what appear as rod- or ribbon-like profiles in sections are in fact rectangular or horseshoe-shaped plates. Moreover, spherical, T-shaped, table-shaped, and highly pleomorphic bodies may be present. In mammals, ribbon synapses are present in afferent synapses of photoreceptors, bipolar nerve cells, and hair cells of both the organ of Corti and the vestibular organ. Synaptic ribbons (SR's) are also found in the intrinsic cells of the third…
BDNF regulates spontaneous correlated activity at early developmental stages by increasing synaptogenesis and expression of the K+/Cl- co-transporter…
2003
Spontaneous neural activity is a basic property of the developing brain,which regulates key developmental processes, including migration, neural differentiation and formation and refinement of connections. The mechanisms regulating spontaneous activity are not known. By using transgenic embryos that overexpress BDNF under the control of the nestin promoter, we show here that BDNF controls the emergence and robustness of spontaneous activity in embryonic hippocampal slices. Further, BDNF dramatically increases spontaneous co-active network activity, which is believed to synchronize gene expression and synaptogenesis in vast numbers of neurons. In fact, BDNF raises the spontaneous activity of…
Thirty years of synaptosome research.
1993
Detached synapses (synaptosomes), first isolated by the author in 1958 and identified as such in 1960, are sealed presynaptic nerve terminals often with a portion of the target cell--sometimes amounting to a complete dendritic spine--adhering to their external surface. They can be prepared in high yield from brain tissue and also in decreasing yield from spinal cord, retina, sympathetic ganglia, myenteric plexus and electric organs. They are sealed structures which, under metabolizing conditions, respire, take up oxygen and glucose, extrude Na+, accumulate K+, maintain a normal membrane potential and, on depolarization, release transmitter in a Ca(2+)-dependent manner. They thus provide an …
Multipotent Neural Stem Cells Reside into the Rostral Extension and Olfactory Bulb of Adult Rodents
2002
The lateral walls of the forebrain lateral ventricles are the richest source of stem cells in the adult mammalian brain. These stem cells give rise to new olfactory neurons that are renewed throughout life. The neurons originate in the subventricular zone (SVZ), migrate within the rostral extension (RE) of the SVZ along the rostral migratory stream (RMS) within tube-like structures formed of glial cells, to eventually reach the olfactory bulb (OB). We demonstrate that, contrary to the current view, multipotential (neuronal-astroglial-oligodendroglial) precursors with stem cell features can be isolated not only from the SVZ but also from the entire RE, including the distal portion within the…
GABAA-receptor Subtypes: Clinical Efficacy and Selectivity of Benzodiazepine Site Ligands
1997
The main inhibitory neurotransmitter receptor of the brain, the gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptor (GABA[A]), mediates the actions of several classes of clinically important drugs, such as benzodiazepines, barbiturates and general anaesthetics. This review summarizes the current knowledge on how classical benzodiazepines and novel nonbenzodiazepine compounds act on the benzodiazepine site of GABA(A) receptors and on their clinical pharmacology related to anxiolytic, sedative, hypnotic and cognitive effects or side-effects. Partial agonism, receptor subtype selectivity and novel binding sites are discussed as possible strategies to develop new drugs with fewer adverse effects than are s…
Psicobiologia dell'attaccamento
2008
In this work, the emotional and cerebral development of the individual is treated as a complex process, within which genetic and experiential factors interact; equal focus is given to these factors as is through the interactions of both that the human brain achieves full maturity. The recent literature on neuroscientific findings has allowed to understand further which are the mechanisms that play the most important role in the human brain. In particular, this recent work has pointed out the importance of precocious experiences of emotional syntonization between the baby and its development partners; the quality of the experiences that such partners will be able to provide will configure no…