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Updated: Sep 28, 2026

Synthesis of a Deuterated Standard for the Quantification of 2-Arachidonoylglycerol in Caenorhabditis elegans
Published on: September 21, 2019
Cell signaling by endocannabinoids and their congeners: questions of selectivity and other challenges
Harald H O Schmid1, Patricia C Schmid, Evgueni V Berdyshev
1The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, 801-16th Avenue N E, Austin, MN 55912, USA. hoschmid@smig.net
Abstract:
The major endocannabinoids, anandamide (N-arachidonoylethanolamide, 20:4n-6 N-acylethanolamine) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) are structurally and functionally similar, but they are produced by different metabolic pathways and their levels must therefore be regulated by different mechanisms. Both endocannabinoids are accompanied by cannabinoid receptor-inactive, saturated and mono- or di-unsaturated congeners which can influence their metabolism and function. Here we review published data on the presence and production of anandamide and 2-AG and their congeners in mammalian cells and discuss this information in terms of their proposed signaling functions.
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