NROB60H3 Chapter 6: Chapter 6 Notes
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In addition to the molecule itself, a neurotransmitter system includes all the molecular machinery responsible for transmitter synthesis, vesicular packaging, reuptake and degradation, and transmitter action. Dale termed the neurons that use the acetylcholine transmitter = cholinergic. Noradrenergic: neurons that use the amine neurotransmitter norepinephrine (ne) Presynaptic axon terminal: neurotransmitter-synthesizing enzymes, synaptic vesicle transporters, reuptake transporters, degradative enzymes. Postsynaptic dendrite: transmitter-gated ion channels, g-protein-coupled receptors, g-proteins, g-protein-gated ion channels, second messenger cascades. First step: show that the molecule is localized in and synthesized by particular neurons: two techniques in studying this: Immunochemistry method for viewing location of specific molecules/proteins in sections of brain tissues. In situ hybridization method for localizing specific mrna transcripts for proteins. Immunochemistry: used to anatomically localize particular molecules to particular cells. Once nt has been chemically purified, it is injected into the bloodstream of animal, where it stimulates an immune response. Immune response generates large proteins called antibodies.
