In what ways do different neurotransmitters affect postsynaptic cells?

Sanjay Manohar, Cambridge 2001

Intro:       difficulty in defining classical NT

                        presynaptic localisation, synthesis, release

                        postsynaptic effect

Biochemically

        Amines (from a.a.)

                glutamate, aspartate

                GABA, glycine

                Monoamines

                        Catecholamines

                                dopamine

                                NA

                        5HT

                        histamine

        Modulators

                Peptides

                        SP

                        enkephalins, endorphins

                        CCK, gastrin, VIP

                Others

                        ACh

                        adenosine, ATP

                        NO, CO

                        D-serine

Effects

        Short term (ion channels, can be metabotropic or ionotropic)

                Depolarisation (EPSP/IPSP) -> AP generation

                Contraction (muscle)

        Long term (metabolic)

                synaptic growth -- number, size, location

                Receptor modification

                        Desensitisation

                                phosphorylation

                                bARK

                                b-arrestin

                        Receptor Down-/Upregulation

                                synthesis

                                breakdown

                                internalisation

                        Other

                                splice variants eg. AMPA

                                post-transcriptional modification

        Mention: retrograde transmission eg. NO

                        presynaptic autoreceptor inhibition

Receptor mechanism

        Ionotropic       [give examples...]

                Na, Ca -> depol, EPSP

                K -> hyperpol, IPSP

                Cl -> stabilise membrane

        Metabotropic  [give examples...]

                G proteins -- diagram, Gi, Gq, Gs

                Second messengers

                        IP3

                                PLC

                                Ca channels

                        cAMP

                                PKA

                                Na channels

                        Ca

                                Activation of multiple enzymes

                                time & location dependent