DISTRIBUTION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF PNMT AND EPINEPHRINE IN THE CNS
1980; Elsevier BV; Linguagem: Inglês
10.1016/b978-0-08-025927-7.50009-0
AutoresM. Goldstein, John E. Pearson, A. Sauter, Kento Ueta, Tadashi Asano, J. Engel, Patricia Passeltiner, Tomas Hökfelt, Kjell Fuxé,
Tópico(s)Nitric Oxide and Endothelin Effects
ResumoThe formation of epinephrine (E) from norepinephrine (NE) is catalyzed by the enzyme phenylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase (PNMT), and the enzyme is mainly localized in the adrenal medulla. The localization of the catecholamine synthesizing enzymes by the immunocyto-chemical techniques provides a useful method for identification of catechol-amine (CA) containing neurons. The purification of PNMT and the subsequent production of antisera to PNMT have made it possible to utilize the immunofluorescence method for the investigation of the distribution of PNMT containing neurons in the mammalian CNS. This chapter presents a report on the properties of brain PNMT, and on the distribution of PNMT activity and of E levels in various regions and nuclei of rat and primate brain. It also discusses the possible role of E in modulating the activities of various neurotransmitter systems. The presence of the E-forming enzyme PNMT and E in the CNS suggest that the neurotransmitter is synthesized in the brain.
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