Neuronal communication exocytosis

Synaptic communication between neurons does not only involve the classical neurotransmitter systems reviewed in this chapter. Two other classes of neurotransmitters are also known to affect brain function neuropeptides and atypical neurotransmitters, such as nitric oxide and carbon monoxide. These neurotransmitters are not stored in vesicles, are not released by exocytosis, and do not bind to postsynaptic receptors. We have chosen not to review these neurotransmitters here, since they do not yet have implications for the current practice of neuropsychopharmacology. They are, however, promising targets for the development of new treatment strategies, and the interested reader is referred to other articles for review (Hokfelt, 1991 Snyder and Ferris, 2000). 

Krasnoperov VG, Beavis R, Chepumy OG et al (1996) The calcium-independent receptor of a-latrotoxin is not a neurexin. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 227 868-75 Krasnoperov VG, Bittner MA, Beavis R et al (1997) a-Latrotoxin stimulates exocytosis by the interaction with a neuronal G-protein-coupled receptor. Neuron 18 925-37 Krasnoperov VG, Bittner MA, Mo W et al (2002b) Protein tyrosine phosphatase-G is a novel member of the functional family of a-latrotoxin receptors. J Biol Chem 277 35887-95 Kreienkamp HJ, Zitzer H, Gundelfinger ED et al (2000) The calcium-independent receptor for a-latrotoxin from human and rodent brains interacts with members of the ProSAP/SSTRIP/Shank family of multidomain proteins. J Biol Chem 275 32387-90 Lajus S, Lang J (2006) Splice variant 3, but not 2 of receptor protein-tyrosine phosphatase a can mediate stimulation of insulin-secretion by a-latrotoxin. J Cell Biochem 98 1552-9 Lajus S, Vacher P, Huber D et al (2006) a-Latrotoxin induces exocytosis by inhibition of voltage-dependent K+ channels and by stimulation of L-type Ca2+ channels via latrophilin in [5-cells. J Biol Chem 281 5522-31... 

Secretory vesicles at synaptic nerve terminals in the brain are essential for chemical neurotransmission among neurons. Proteomic studies of synaptic proteins have revealed their regulation by brain injury (90), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) (91), and drug regulation by morphine (92). The protein systems that support secretory vesicle exocytosis of peptide neurotransmitters and receptor activation at synaptic junctions of neurons function in concert to achieve neuropeptide-mediated communication in neural circuits. 

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