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Related Concept Videos

Parasympathetic Signaling01:30

Parasympathetic Signaling

Parasympathetic signaling plays a crucial role in regulating various physiological processes. It involves the release of acetylcholine (ACh) by parasympathetic neurons, which can have localized and short-lived effects. The majority of ACh released is rapidly inactivated at the synapse by the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE), which hydrolyzes Ach into choline and acetate. Additionally, the tissue cholinesterase deactivates any ACh diffusing into the surrounding tissues.
The effects of...
Indirect-Acting Cholinergic Agonists: Pharmacological Actions01:30

Indirect-Acting Cholinergic Agonists: Pharmacological Actions

Indirect-acting cholinergic agonists, also known as anticholinesterases, exert their pharmacological effects by enhancing cholinergic transmission in various body parts, including the neuromuscular junction, autonomic cholinergic synapses, and the brain.
At the neuromuscular junction, these agents work by inhibiting the breakdown of acetylcholine, allowing it to remain bound to the receptor and bind to nearby receptors. This process leads to repetitive firing of the endplate, causing muscle...
Cholinergic Receptors: Muscarinic01:25

Cholinergic Receptors: Muscarinic

The pharmacological actions of acetylcholine are elicited via its binding to two families of cholinergic receptors or cholinoceptors, namely, muscarinic and nicotinic receptors. Muscarinic receptors are G protein-coupled receptors and have five subtypes, M1–M5. All mAChR subtypes are activated by acetylcholine and blocked by the antagonist, atropine. 
The subtypes M1, M3, and M5 couple with the Gq subunit and activate the phospholipase C (PLC) activity, mobilizing intracellular Ca2+. Activation...
Direct-Acting Cholinergic Agonists: Therapeutic Uses01:11

Direct-Acting Cholinergic Agonists: Therapeutic Uses

Direct-acting cholinergic agonists have many therapeutic uses in various medical fields. Choline esters, including acetylcholine, have limited clinical utility due to their non-selectivity and short duration of action. Still, acetylcholine and carbachol are applied topically during ophthalmologic surgery to induce miosis. Pilocarpine, a muscarinic and ganglionic stimulator, effectively treats open-angle glaucoma and alleviates xerostomia and dry mouth caused by radiotherapy or Sjögren syndrome.
Direct-Acting Cholinergic Agonists: Pharmacological Actions00:59

Direct-Acting Cholinergic Agonists: Pharmacological Actions

Direct-acting cholinergic agonists exert their pharmacological actions by mimicking the effects of acetylcholine on postsynaptic muscarinic receptors to generate parasympathetic responses. These agents elicit a range of physiological responses, including cardiovascular effects. For example, activation of muscarinic receptors induces bradycardia, decreased cardiac output, reduced peripheral resistance, and consequent hypotension. In the eye, stimulation of M3 receptors leads to smooth muscle...
Direct-Acting Cholinergic Agonists: Pharmacokinetics01:31

Direct-Acting Cholinergic Agonists: Pharmacokinetics

Direct-acting cholinergic agonists, such as synthetic choline esters and naturally occurring alkaloids, exert their effects by enhancing the actions of acetylcholine and stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system. Synthetic choline esters share structural similarities with acetylcholine. For example, they have a positively charged quaternary ammonium or onium group, contributing to their hydrophilic characteristics. As a result, they are poorly absorbed in the body through oral...

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Related Experiment Video

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Screening Ion Channels in Cancer Cells
06:19

Screening Ion Channels in Cancer Cells

Published on: June 16, 2023

The cholinergic system and cancer.

Laura Paleari1, Alessia Grozio, Alfredo Cesario

  • 1Lung Cancer Unit, National Cancer Research Institute, Genova, Italy. laura.paleari@istge.it

Seminars in Cancer Biology
|February 12, 2008
PubMed
Summary

The non-neuronal cholinergic system, involving acetylcholine (Ach) and its receptors, regulates vital cell functions. Further research is needed to understand its role in diseases like cancer for targeted therapies.

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Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Neuroscience
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • The presence of the cholinergic system in non-neuronal cells was initially controversial but is now established.
  • Cholinergic molecules mediate cell-to-cell communication via intracellular ion dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the established role of the non-neuronal cholinergic system in regulating vital cellular functions.
  • To highlight the need for further investigation into the non-neuronal cholinergic system's role in diseases such as inflammation and cancer.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review and synthesis of existing research on non-neuronal cholinergic signaling.
  • Analysis of the functions of nicotinic and muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR, mAChR) in human cell types.

Main Results:

  • Acetylcholine (Ach) acting via nAChRs and mAChRs regulates key cell functions including proliferation, differentiation, cytoskeleton organization, cell-cell contact, migration, and secretion.
  • These receptors form part of an autocrine-proliferative network within human cells.

Conclusions:

  • The non-neuronal cholinergic system plays a crucial role in fundamental cellular processes.
  • Further clarification of its involvement in diseases is essential for developing targeted therapies and drug design strategies.