Cyclic Nucleotides in the Nervous System

by John Daly

Overview

The elucidation of the cellular and molecular bases underlying the integrated function of the central nervous system, both in disease and in health, must ultimately come from the combined efforts of scientists from many disciplines, including biology, chemistry, histology, pathology, physiology, pharmacology, and psychology. Communication between scientists from these various disciplines-vital to the advancement of our understanding of the function of the nervous system-has become more and more difficult in recent years. Both increasing specialization and the incredible increases in publications pertinent to brain research in a wide spectrum of journals, in symposium volumes, in monographs, in abstracts, and in reviews contrib­ ute to the problems of cross-communication and even of communication within a scientific discipline. Research on the significance of cyclic nucleo­ tides to the function of nervous systems is particularly illustrative of the communication problem. Since the initial publications by Sutherland, Rall, and Butcher in the late fifties and early sixties on high levels of adenylate cyclase, phosphodiesterases, and cyclic AMP in brain, the ensuing literature of this field has expanded exponentially. At the present time, from five to ten publications relevant to cyclic nucleotides and the nervous system appear each week. Indeed, these are minimal numbers based mainly on examination of literature titles and key index words. Many articles concerned with some aspect of central function contain, buried within their text, experiments with or related to cyclic nucleotides.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781461341291
Publisher:	Springer US
Publication date:	10/12/2011
Edition description:	Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 1977
Pages:	402
Product dimensions:	5.98(w) x 9.02(h) x 0.03(d)

Table of Contents

1 Introduction.- 2 Enzymatic Formation, Degradation, and Action of Cyclic Nucleotides.- 2.1 Adenylate Cyclases.- 2.2 Guanylate Cyclases.- 2.3 Phosphodiesterases.- 2.4 Protein Kinases.- 2.5 Phosphoprotein Phosphatases.- 3 Accumulation of Cyclic Nucleotides.- 3.1 Cyclic AMP in Brain Slices.- 3.2 Cyclic GMP in Brain Slices.- 3.3 Cyclic AMP in Ganglia and Peripheral Neurons.- 3.4 Cyclic GMP in Ganglia and Peripheral Neurons.- 3.5 Cyclic Nucleotides in Cells of Neuronal or Glial Origin.- 4 Functional Role of Cyclic Nucleotides.- 4.1 Enzymatic Processes.- 4.2 Cell Morphology, Differentiation, and Growth.- 4.3 Membrane Phenomena.- 4.4 Levels of Cyclic Nucleotides in Brain.- 4.5 Central Behavioral and Vegetative Functions.- Conclusion.- References.